On 28/2 our managing partner, Alain Thys was the closing speaker of the FutuRetail event which took place at Google's offices in London. Pushed to come with "something innovative and different", he tried to bring a level-headed view on the ways he believes 3D Printing will affect retail in the coming 5+ years. Many in the audience tended to agree, and if you do to (or not) feel free to leave your comments. Also, should you wish to look at the opportunities for 3D printing in your business (retail or B2B) do not hesitate to get in touch :-)

1. 3D Printing & Retail
FUTURETAIL
Google London
February 28, 2013
FUTURELAB

2. On a mission to make the world
a more customer-friendly place
@FLB_alainthys
FUTURELAB

3. FUTURELAB
• Customer Experience
• Value Propositions
• Customer-Centric Transformation
My usual focus:
Help companies profit from customer-centricity “today”

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Industrial thinking 3D thinking
But today I want to talk about additive manufacturing, aka.
3D printing

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Not so long ago, I had filed 3D printing under “science fiction”
and then Shapeways became our customer.

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Which lead my son (and his friends) to discover
3D Printed Minecraft Avatars

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It’s so cool …
they even got the
colours right!
In which I found myself paying …
€25 for a 6 cm plastic toy

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Look … DJ
This made me realise 3D printing’s sci-fi days were over
It was now a game of personalisation and emotion

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3D printing today
Where we are going
Three practical suggestions
So I started digging into the topic
I’d like to share some findings with you

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What would happen if
this went mainstream?
As I take you through these cases don’t just go “ooh” and “aah”
Think through the implications of what you see

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3D files online
"We have to prepare for the fact that consumers may soon
not want to buy pre-packaged iPhone cases of the shelf, but
build and design their own,"
Rob Fraser, IT Director Sainsbury, Jan 2013
What is happening today
3D printed iphone cases

12. What is happening today: Continuum Fashion N12
Custom fitted bikini’s printed in Nylon 12
FUTURELAB

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Pharmaceuticals Dental crowns
While you wait 15 mins
Breast implants Artificial ear
What is happening today
Medical applications

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Materials
Steel
Gold
Silver
Bronze
…
What is happening today
Draw your earrings and see them in 3D

15. €99
What is happening today
Drawings into toys

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Chocolate (today) Meat (still a while)
What is happening today
Food

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Enrico Dini
3D Building System
© UNIVERSE ARCHITECTURE. The landscape house.
What is happening today
Printed house (2014)

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285 µm racecar
Vienna University of Technology, 2012
Coming soon
Microchips and circuit boards

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What is happening today: Makerlove.com
Yes, you can be “scanned” 

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3D printing today
Where we are going
Three practical suggestions
So I started digging into the topic
I’d like to share some findings with you

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Gartner hype cycle – July 2012
The good news
We’re only in “hype” phase

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The bad news
Compared to this the internet was a walk in the park

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I believe that for the foreseeable future
Self manufacturing is for “tinkerers

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Watch the video on the next click
A vision of the future
Manufacturing moves closer to home

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Unit 252, Shopping Centre, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 6TE
I haven’t visited it yet myself but
In London, the first one has arrived

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Personalised experiences Rethink supply chain Parallel product markets
You customise or Some parts mass Physibles already
create to fit your produced, some parts available for download
needs. We make it. printed (on-site?) (remember the CD!!)
Category by category
A new form of retailer-manufacturing will emerge

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3D printing today
Where we are going
Three practical suggestions
So I started digging into the topic
I’d like to share some findings with you

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Three practical suggestions
Update your knowledge

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Three practical suggestions
Start the long-view conversation in your business

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Feel free to get in touch
FUTURELAB
Three practical suggestions
Start “live” experiments to learn

31. Web : www.futurelab.net
Twitter : @FLB_alainthys
Linkedin : Alain Thys
FUTURELAB