RBO partners up with CDW for US market expansion

Emerging 3D printing company, Robo 3D (ASX: RBO), has today announced its newly formed partnership with CDW, a NASDAQ-listed leading distributor of technology products in the US, Canada, and the UK.

CDW, which delivers its multi-brand technology solutions to education, business, government and healthcare organisations, generated nearly US$15 billion in sales during the last financial year. It’s therefore a perfect match for RBO.

The partnership will provide RBO with significant reach into key strategic North American and European markets, and will drive its continued growth.

A relationship with CDW has been a high-priority sales and distribution target for RBO’s expansion into education.

Crucially, this will enable RBO to continue executing its underpinning strategy: to diversify its customer base and expand its reach into the education and business segments.

With leverage to business and government customers, the partnership is expected to drive R2 sales.

A strategic partnership – providing reach into key markets

RBO is a California-based company with a focus on designing and distributing 3D printers and associated products for the desktop segment of the 3D printing industry.

It already has a strong foothold in this industry, and a steadily growing reputation as a leading 3D printing brand.

Since delivering its first model to customers in 2012 and listing on the ASX in late 2016, RBO has gained significant traction online and through its globally recognised retail partners, which include Amazon and Best Buy.

The company has also recently released promising sales and production figures for its award-winning Robo R2 product, so today’s announcement comes at an especially transformative time for RBO.

And its objectives are clearly closely aligned with those of its new partner.

CDW is a Fortune 500 company that generated nearly US$15 billion of sales last financial year, and employs around 8,800 employees across the globe, making it a key driver for RBO’s continued growth.

This partnership, which has been a core objective in RBO’s business plan this year, provides a range of considerable benefits, especially in relation to the company’s future expansion and diversification.

CDW represents the highest quality brands in the US, and has established a strong level of trust with its enterprise and education accounts to declutter the market.

This new relationship with CDW will subsequently enable RBO to offer its products to a new group of users and to further establish itself as a leading player in the 3D printing sector.

With a strong focus on providing premium STEM and STEAM solutions for its client base across the US, including some of the country’s largest school districts, CDW has office locations in every major American city. This provides heavy-duty leverage for RBO’s expansion into the K-12 and tertiary education markets.

RBO will also reap the benefits of CDW’s strong presence in Europe, extending its growth in that area.

Alongside this string of advantages, the partnership is expected to contribute significantly to RBO’s new customer revenue growth this financial year.

From one entrepreneurial business to another

3D printing is increasingly prevalent in the small business and professional spaces. CDW helps these kinds of businesses grow by providing them with key support in the use of new technologies.

RBO will subsequently be able to offer its products as innovative business solutions to this expanded audience of entrepreneurs and professionals.

Given that the rapidly growing RBO itself started off as a small band of entrepreneurs, this opportunity strikes a particularly personal chord, resonating with the company’s own humble beginnings.

In this vein, Ryan Legudi, managing director of RBO, said that the company is “honoured to help educators looking to encourage the next generation of engineers and inventors, and help small businesses looking for technology that will give them the edge to enable their success.”