FISHER/UNITECH Awarded Exclusive Contract to Sell Stratasys Fused-Deposition Modeling (FDM) Machines in Eight States
Leading Dimension Reseller Adds FDM to Rapid Technology Group to Target Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM) Markets
Troy, MI (January 12, 2009) - FISHER/UNITECH, a leading engineering technologies firm serving the Midwest, has partnered with Stratasys (NASDAQ:SSYS) to sell its full product line of high-end FDM machines along with the Dimension 3D Printer. The company was granted the contract based on its success with the Dimension Printer, as it was recently named the top reseller in North America for five consecutive years. FISHER/UNITECH is now the exclusive reseller for the Stratasys FDM line in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and Kansas.
FISHER/UNITECH has established two centrally-located Rapid Technology Centers in its existing Troy, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois, locations. These centers are equipped with dedicated sales and support staff, directed by Rapid Technology Manager, Joe Rocca (rocca@funtech.com), and house the FDM 400mc machine with the ability to run all available Stratasys plastics. FISHER/UNITECH's commitment to the Dimension 3D printer line remains in place with its existing field sales and support organization, spread across several states in the Central and Great Lakes region of the country.
"We are thrilled to be a premier reseller of the Stratasys FDM line," said Charles Hess, president of FISHER/UNITECH. "The FDM machines give us the opportunity to tap new markets in both traditional prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. DDM eliminates tooling, injection molding and die casting from the manufacturing process. This will enable discrete manufacturers to move directly from design to manufacturing, reducing time-to-market and lowering capital expenditures to free up cash flow for additional projects."
The FDM line offers a wide variety of materials to produce parts that are fit for prototyping, functional testing, installation and end-use. Materials are 25-70% stronger than standard ABS plastic, are environmentally stable with no shrinkage, warpage or moisture absorption, and are the most dimensionally accurate and heat-resistant. Some materials are sterilizable, making them ideal for the medical, pharmaceutical and food packaging industries.
Serving as a complement to the FDM line is the Dimension 3D Printer; for companies with less stringent build size, material and resolution requirements. Dimension printers have become an extension of the 3D CAD process, and a critical part of the overall design lifeline. For manufacturers that currently outsource prototypes, which can take days or weeks and run upwards of $250 per model, the Dimension, starting at $18,900, is an attractive alternative. A Dimension Printer can create prototypes in just hours - for $10 or less - while ensuring designs remain inside the company. The Dimension requires no specialized skills or training; just load the software on any Microsoft® Windows® network and start printing.
About FISHER/UNITECH (www.funtech.com)
FISHER/UNITECH, established in 1993, provides Product Lifecycle Management solutions to discrete manufacturing companies. The company's focus is on process improvement for product development. Process improvement is obtained through the integration of advanced software solutions to replace legacy systems. The applications include CAID, CAD, CAM, CAE, PDM, KBE, Reverse Engineering and Rapid Prototyping. Professional services are offered for design automation and data management which provides customers with a full service, one-stop source for complex PLM systems. The company offers advanced web-based delivery of education programs with its interactive, instructor-led 3DU. Please visit the company's website at (http://www.funtech.com) or call 800-816-8314.
Lisa Van Giesen
Marketing Communications Manager
FISHER/UNITECH
1150 Stephenson Hwy.
Troy| MI 48083
Phone: 800-816-8314, ext. 7129
Fax: 248-577-8524
www.funtech.com
