Stratasys, Ltd. (SSYS)’s Makerbot Ties-Up With The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) To Get 3D Printers To the Masses; 3D Systems Corporation (DDD) Could Tick Up

Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS)’s Makerbot, a leader in 3D printer space, announced its partnership with The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD), which will allow it to offer its Replicator Desktop 3D Printer to Home Depot customers. The decision, which is basically a test program could give Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) an advantage point against its rival 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD). The collaboration of the two companies is a pilot project to launch 3D printers for the first time to the general public. Meanwhile, Makerboat’s CEO, Bre Pettis, discussed the details about the program and its reason to pick The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD), during an interview with CNBC.

Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS)

Pettis said that the idea behind bringing 3D printers to the public is that they wanted to break the notion that these Printers are meant for only architects, engineers or home designers, who have to deal with innovation at every level. As Pettis revealed that during the process of creating 3D printers for their customer, they came to know that the use is much broader and could relate to the everyday life. On picking The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) over Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY), Pettis explained:

“It’s one foot in front of the other. We like to build a good business, and Home Depot is a great partner for getting to the hands of people who are creative and who are empowered to make things.”

Thus, agreeably Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS) is trying to find a new customer base, which could eventually open space to 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) as well.

As of now, Makerboat will roll out three models of its 3D printers at 12 Home Depot locations, including California, New York and Illinois. The lower-end offering from Makerbot costs $1,375, followed by a $2,899 model, while the top-end product on the shelf is priced as much as $6,499. MakerBot intends to spread the word about the multi-utilities and customization abilities of 3D printers through displaying them on specially designed kiosks, placed inside The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD). Pettis clearly sets out the aim; that is to get to the masses, “one of the interesting things is as we move into the consumer space, not only have we done this new partnership with home depot, but we just have partnerships with Ugly Dolls and Sesame Street to get interesting content into people’s hands.” Though the 3D printing stage among consumers is a very new concept, but it should help uplift 3D printing stocks like 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD).

Disclosure: none