08-14-2014: Verbatim announced its intention to enter the filament market
The data storage technology pioneer aimed to conquer the 3D printing materials market
On August 14, 2014, Verbatim announced its entry into the 3D printing market for the first time. The company - then still owned by Mitsubishi Corporation - began its operations by launching two of the most popular filaments – PLA and ABS. Their official distribution began a month later, following the physical product launch at IFA, Europe's largest consumer electronics trade show in Berlin.
Verbatim started its journey in the 3D printing filament industry traditionally and safely – with PLA and ABS. PLA was available in diameters of 1.75 mm and 3 mm, while ABS was only available in 1.75 mm. Both were offered in several colors and were available on 1-kilogram spools.
The filaments were initially manufactured in Japan. What set them apart from the beginning was the high – and at that time unprecedented – attention to packaging quality. High-quality boxes with a plastic handle, vacuum bags with moisture absorbers, and aesthetically designed spools. Additionally, each filament came with a detailed datasheet and user manual, something unheard of at that time...
In the following years, Verbatim offered many other filaments, such as the flexible Primalloy, the dissolvable (support) BVOH, the super-strong Durabio, and many others. Unfortunately, despite having a strong, recognizable brand and the support of a large chemical corporation, Verbatim never achieved the great success in the market that everyone initially expected. It simply became one of many filament manufacturers operating in the market...
The history of Verbatim itself is much more intricate. Founded in the late 1960s in the USA, it specialized in producing floppy disks under the name Information Terminals Corporation (ITC). In 1978, it was renamed Verbatim. In 1985, it was acquired by Eastman Kodak, marking the beginning of its long journey of ownership changes...
In 1990, it was acquired by Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation, which later became the aforementioned MCC. Verbatim then became Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM), and the Verbatim brand was replaced by Mitsubishi in Japan. However, in 2009, Verbatim returned as a brand in Japan, only to be acquired by Taiwanese CMC Magnetics in 2020.