SPEE3D, a prominent global player in additive manufacturing, has announced a strategic partnership with RusselSmith, a leading integrated energy solutions provider in West Africa. This collaboration is set to bring SPEE3D’s Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) technology to the region, marking a significant advancement for industries such as oil and gas, defense, and commercial sectors.
Strategic Partnership for Advanced Manufacturing Solutions
Under this partnership, RusselSmith will serve as a regional partner and value-added reseller for SPEE3D’s products. They will be responsible for deploying, training, selling, and providing support to customers in West Africa. This strategic move is expected to enhance the availability and accessibility of advanced manufacturing solutions in the region, particularly in industries facing supply chain challenges.
RusselSmith has also acquired a WarpSPEE3D printer, making it a strategic sourcing partner for cold spray metal parts production in Africa. The WarpSPEE3D printer, utilizing SPEE3D’s patented technology, offers a revolutionary approach to metal part manufacturing. It enables the production of parts weighing up to 40 kg (88 lbs) with a diameter of up to 1 meter by 0.7 meters (40 inches by 30 inches) in mere hours, as opposed to days. This rapid production capability is set to transform metal printing into an efficient, on-demand manufacturing solution for the region.
Addressing Supply Chain Challenges in Nigeria
The Nigerian energy sector, particularly oil and gas, is one of the most dynamic in West Africa. However, it faces significant challenges in maintaining and sustaining equipment on aging assets due to supply chain disruptions and the difficulty of procuring legacy parts. SPEE3D and RusselSmith aim to address this gap by manufacturing essential parts locally, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing costs for companies in the region. Notably, RusselSmith is the only organization in Nigeria qualified by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to deploy industrial non-metallic additive manufacturing solutions in the oil and gas industry. Additionally, RusselSmith’s recent induction into the Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association (AMTGA) underscores its commitment to advancing additive manufacturing in Africa.
Byron Kennedy, CEO of SPEE3D, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “SPEE3D is committed to the growth and development of additive manufacturing globally, and we’re thrilled to bring our cold spray additive manufacturing solution to West Africa. Partnering with RusselSmith is a huge win for us – they are a respected leader bringing the latest additive manufacturing technologies to the region and helping solve major supply chain issues for the oil and gas, defense, and other commercial industries.”
Kayode Adeleke, CEO of RusselSmith, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of the partnership in addressing supply chain challenges in Nigeria and across Africa. He noted, “Our partnership with SPEE3D is a game changer for us – they are the leader in advanced metal additive manufacturing technology using their patented cold spray technology. This partnership enables us to rapidly manufacture high-quality parts on demand, locally and sustainably, leveraging the innovative cold spray technology to improve our customers’ operational uptime.”
Final Thoughts
RusselSmith is poised to become a leading provider of advanced digital and deployable additive manufacturing solutions in Africa, with the goal of enhancing operational efficiency across the continent. Their strategic investments and collaborations, such as this partnership with SPEE3D, position them at the forefront of the additive manufacturing revolution in the region.