Andrew Coutu | R&D Technologies Inc. founder and CEO
Before R&D Technologies, I had two companies that failed and two that were sold successfully. I think you have to fail once or twice before you get it right. My football coach always said: “Keep your head down and your legs moving forward.”
My son Justin and I started R&D Technologies 10 years ago to sell high-end 3D printers. We also had a vision of opening a 3D digital factory to make prototypes and short-run plastics parts. Our company started with one printer. We now have 16 printers in our 3D digital factory, and the future looks strong.
Last year we joined the Stratasys Global Manufacturing Network, which provides distributed 3D printing worldwide through 26 companies – with only six in the United States.
Although 3D printing has been around for 40 years, it is just now that businesses are starting to see its value. GE, for example, has seen the light and has invested $2 billion in purchasing 3D printing companies to produce jet engine parts. It is calling 3D printing “The factory of the future.”
But if you really want to see the future of 3D printing, go to a high school and watch students use 3D CAD software and 3D printers. Soon they will be going on to college, and when they graduate, they will be the future of manufacturing in the United States.
My friends ask me: “Why don’t you retire?” The simple answer is, “I’m having too much fun building a business with my son.”
