•   Siemens and HBIS signed a strategic cooperation agreement on additive manufacturing

•   Siemens will provide consulting services for HBIS’ development of additive manufacturing business

•   Jointly establish a laboratory to provide technical support for HBIS’ industrialization of additive manufacturing

Siemens and HBIS Group Co., Ltd (HBIS) recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement on additive manufacturing and a consulting service contract. Both parties will cooperate on AM R&D and industrialization, actively explore and implement Siemens intelligent manufacturing solutions and build HBIS Industrial Technology Service Co., Ltd. into a leading enterprise in industrialization of additive manufaturing technology in China, so as to jointly create commercial value.

The strategic partnership sets a new milestone in the cooperation between the two companies. Siemens will provide consulting services in strategic direction, market positioning, competitive advantage and application scenarios for HBIS’ additive manufacturing development through systematic investigation and feasibility analysis, and will provide the formulation of technical routes, R&D system construction and production configuration, so as to provide systematic support for HBIS’ development of additive manufacturing business.

Siemens and HBIS are planning to establish a joint laboratory on the R&D of additive manufacturing, as well as new technologies and materials used for its applications in the identified target markets. Siemens will help HBIS to build and improve the experimental platform and R&D team in additive manufacturing, so as to provide technical support for the industrialization of additive manufacturing. Faced with the vast market potential in China, the two parties will explore substantial cooperation to drive forward the industrialization of additive manufacturing business in China.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is one of the 14 strategic core technologies under the Siemens Innovation Program. With the world leading technical innovation and industrialization strength in additive manufacturing, Siemens possesses the full industrial chain coverage capability in additive manufacturing industry.

HBIS, one of the world's largest steel manufacturers and integrated service providers, is committed to building an industrial service platform based on steel materials. In 2016, Siemens signed a strategic cooperation agreement with HBIS to conduct in-depth cooperation in such areas as digital factory, intelligent manufacturing, supply chain management, and emerging industries. In the future, both parties will seek new cooperation in the fields of cloud computing, big data, industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), as well as digitalized industry.