With the acquisition of 100% of filament producer Innofil3D, based at Emmen in the Netherlands, BASF is deepening its footprint in the 3D printing sector. The deal handled by the chemical giant’s BASF New Business arm takes the German group “one step further along the value chain,” New Business managing director, Volker Hammes, said.

Under the name BASF 3D Printing Solutions, the world’s largest chemical producer plans to launch a new wholly owned subsidiary on Sept. 1, leveraging Innofil’s “well-filled product pipeline” and complementing its own plans to develop high-performance filaments. The goal, Hannes said, is to develop solutions for layered 3D printing.

Along with continuing its current business activities, Innofil3D is intended to become a key development and production platform for filaments, BASF said. The Dutch company’s portfolio includes a range of high-end customized filaments for use in fused filament fabrication, a special 3D printing process that manufactures items layer by-layer from meltable plastic.