Unofficially, 3D Systems (DDD -1.42%) is the Amazon.com of 3-D printing, casting a wide net around its 3-D printing opportunity with heavily investments in R&D, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. Naturally, this aggressive demeanor has earned it a reputation as being a "jack of all trades" and a master of none. While it's certainly easy to argue this point, the evidence suggests that 3D Systems is doing a great job becoming The Everything 3-D Printing Store.
The fact of the matter is that investors simply don't know what the 3-D printing industry will look like in 10 years, let alone know what technologies and companies will define the space. As a result, 3D Systems' highly diversified approach ensures that it's is ready for any sudden shifts that are almost certain to occur in the future. With a total of seven core 3-D printing technologies under its umbrella, 3D Systems is far better equipped to handle any rapid evolutions than a competitor like Stratasys, which only operates two major 3-D printing technologies.
In the following video, 3-D printing analyst Steve Heller makes a case for why 3D Systems' seemingly aggressive strategy gives it the greatest staying power of all the 3-D printing companies around.
