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M. Holland Company (Northbrook, IL, US), a leading distributor of thermoplastic resins, announced May 7 it has signed a distribution agreement with Owens Corning (Toledo, OH, US), a global leader in the glass fiber reinforced composite industry, to distribute the company’s XSTRAND products.

Owens Corning’s XSTRAND line of products are high-performance composite filaments for 3D printing. M. Holland will serve as master distributor for the products, managing a network of sub-distributors and directly distributing XSTRAND filaments to M. Holland clients in the thermoplastic resin industry in the US and Mexico beginning in late May.

Owens Corning’s XSTRAND product line employs proprietary fiber reinforcement technology developed within its global technical network including dedicated 3D printing laboratories in the US and France. XSTRAND filaments enable the production of 3D printed parts that are reportedly 50-250% stronger and stiffer than traditional 3D printed parts. In addition, the XSTRAND materials have good chemical and UV resistance. This combination of performance makes the XSTRAND product line suitable for industrial production and functional prototyping.

“We expect 3D printing to become an integral part of the global manufacturing infrastructure,” says Ed Holland, CEO at M. Holland. “Consistent with our mission as a distributor, we want to provide our suppliers with reliable channels to the plastics market while providing our clients with customized solutuons to their material needs, which, to a growing degree, include 3D printing.”

To support its 3D printing initiatives, M. Holland is investing in new 3D printing capabilities at its research and development center in Easton, PA, US and adding dedicated commercial and technical support resources.