MakerBot Announces Distribution Agreement with Ricoh

Auckland, New Zealand, December 11, 2013 -- Desktop 3D printing just got easier for Kiwi businesses with Ricoh New Zealand named as an authorised reseller of the award-winning MakerBot® Replicator® 2 Desktop 3D printer and the MakerBot® Digitizer™ Desktop 3D Scanner in New Zealand.

The MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer is setting the standard in desktop 3D printing and is designed to bring projects to life with professional-quality 100-micron layer resolution and 410 cubic-inch build volume. The MakerBot Replicator 2 3D prints professional-looking models and true-to-life replicas at an affordable price. MakerBot has been honored with many accolades, including Popular Mechanics’ “Overall Winner” for best 3D printer, Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2012,” Popular Mechanics’ “Editor’s Choice Award,” Popular Science’s “Product of the Year,” and the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner was just awarded a “Breakthrough Award” by Popular Mechanics.

Founded in 2009, MakerBot has grown to be the global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry.

Mike Pollok, Ricoh New Zealand’s Managing Director, says this is an exciting opportunity in what is clearly a rapidly developing industry. “We are delighted to have been appointed by MakerBot to represent its products in the New Zealand market, not only because they align with our current direction and brand values, but because they are globally recognised as a leader in the sector.“ Pollok went on to say: “Ricoh exists to help companies and individuals transform the way they work and harness their collective imagination. Our brand proposition is that change is driven by imaginative thinking and we believe the MakerBot Replicator 2 and the MakerBot Digitizer fit that bill 100 per cent.”

“Teaming with Ricoh New Zealand is aimed at helping us expand even more in the New Zealand market,” said Mark Schulze, vice president of sales for MakerBot. “It’s pretty exciting to be able to bring MakerBot desktop 3D printing and scanning capabilities to a whole new market across the world. We are dedicated to education about 3D printing and expanding the MakerBot 3D Printing Ecosystem. It’s a pretty exciting time as we see more rapid adoption of 3D printing and scanning not only in the engineering, architecture and industrial space, but also with more cutting-edge consumers.”

MakerBot Replicator 2 
One of the first MakerBot products available in New Zealand through Ricoh will be the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, which has been designed for use by engineers, architects, researchers, industrial designers, and hobbyists alike. The MakerBot Replicator 2 has a large build volume of 410 cubic inches (11.2” L x 6.0” W x 6.1” H) and is optimised for printing in MakerBot PLA Filament, a bioplastic derived from corn.

Ricoh’s Marketing Manager, Murray Clark says, “The MakerBot Replicator 2 is an innovative product that is cost effective. The MakerBot Replicator 2 allows anyone to make 3D models and creations on demand. It’s changed the rules by mainstreaming technology that was once the preserve of specialists.”

“This type of desktop 3D printing unleashes innovation across a broad range of business applications at a price point that’s wholly accessible. Now, one-off or short-run 3D printed parts and other creations are readily achievable,” says Murray.

In addition to the MakerBot Replicator 2, Ricoh is also offering the recently released MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner that is a fast and easy way to create a 3D model. The MakerBot Digitizer takes real life objects, scans them with a camera and two lasers and turns them into a 3D digital file. No design or 3D software experience is necessary.

MakerBot Digitizer works seamlessly with the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer and Thingiverse, a 3D design community with more than 100,000 downloadable digital designs for printing and sharing. The MakerBot Digitizer is ideal for the office, classroom, manufacturing unit or home. The MakerBot Digitizer can create artworks and sculptures, bringing your designs to life right in front of your eyes. All you need to do is connect MakerBot Digitizer to your computer and you are ready to go.

Also available is the MakerBot Replicator 2X Experimental 3D Printer, which is optimised for printing in ABS filament and has dual extruders for two colour printing.

Ricoh New Zealand has available both models of the MakerBot Replicator 2 and the MakerBot Replicator 2X, as well as the MakerBot Digitizer. For more information see www.ricoh.co.nz or phone 0800 80 76 76.

Ends

About MakerBot 
MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys, Ltd., is leading the Next Industrial Revolution by setting the standards in reliable and affordable desktop 3D printing. Founded in 2009, MakerBot has built the largest installed base of desktop 3D printers sold to innovative and industry-leading customers worldwide, including engineers, architects, designers, educators and consumers. MakerBot’s 3D Ecosystem drives accessibility and rapid adoption of 3D printing and includes: Thingiverse.com, the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, the MakerBot Replicator line of Desktop 3D Printers, MakerWare software, MakerCare, the MakerBot retail store, and strategic partnerships with top-tier brands. MakerBot has been honored with many accolades, including Popular Mechanics’ “Overall Winner” for best 3D printer, Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2012,” Popular Mechanics’ “Editor’s Choice Award,” Popular Science’s “Product of the Year,” Fast Company’s “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics,” and many more. Join the Next Industrial Revolution by following MakerBot at makerbot.com.

About Stratasys 
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and Rehovot, Israel, manufactures 3D printers and materials for prototyping and production. The company’s patented FDM® and PolyJet® 3D printing technologies produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape and the company operates the RedEye digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1600 employees, holds over 500 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 20 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: stratasys.com or blog.stratasys.com.

About Ricoh 
Ricoh is a global technology company specialising in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Ricoh New Zealand Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ricoh Company Limited, Japan. Head office is located in Auckland, with a comprehensive network of offices providing sales, service and support in all areas of the country. Ricoh is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives. Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information included or incorporated by reference in this press may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “believe,” “should,” “intend,” “project” or other similar words, but are not the only way these statements are identified. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the company’s objectives, plans and strategies, statements regarding the company’s products and their expected performance, statements that contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition (including, with respect to the MakerBot merger) and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events or developments that the company intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. The company has based these forward-looking statements on assumptions and assessments made by its management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, among other things: the company’s ability to efficiently and successfully integrate the operations of Stratasys, Inc. and Objet Ltd. after their merger as well as the ability to successfully integrate MakerBot into Stratasys; the overall global economic environment; the impact of competition and new technologies; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the company operates; projected capital expenditures and liquidity; changes in the company’s strategy; government regulations and approvals; changes in customers’ budgeting priorities; litigation and regulatory proceedings; and those factors referred to under “Risk Factors”, “Information on the Company”, “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”, and generally in the company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in other reports that the Company has filed with the SEC. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in the company’s SEC reports, which are designed to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Notes to Editors

• More information and images of the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer can be found at:http://www.makerbot.com/replicator2-press-assets/

• Information and images on the MakerBot Replicator 2X Experimental 3D Printer can be found at:http://www.makerbot.com/replicator2x-press-assets/

• Images and additional information on the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner can be found at:http://www.makerbot.com/press/digitizer-press-assets/

For further information on MakerBot, contact:

Jenifer Howard 
+1-347-676-3932 (office) 
+1-203-273-4246 (mobile) 
jenifer.howard@makerbot.com

For further information on Ricoh New Zealand or to view a demonstration of the MakerBot Replicator 2 or MakerBot Digitizer, contact:

Carley Young 
Ten Four Communications 
+64 21 345 506 (mobile) 
carley@tenfourcommunications.co.nz