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R3direct

ServiceCapannori, ItalyFounded 2021· One of 1986 Service companies tracked by AMPulse

Provides large-format 3D printing services using 100% post-consumer recycled plastic waste to create durable objects like street furniture and public art, eliminating filament conversion to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions.

CEO / Founder
Desy Ghelardoni
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$6.16M
Latest Round
Seed

Technology & Products

Key Products

3D-printed street furniture (benches, bollards); Public art installations; Custom architectural elements; Sustainable urban infrastructure

Technological Advantage

Proprietary process for printing directly with recycled plastic granules (not filament) reduces energy consumption and material costs; first in Europe to use certain post-consumer materials for large-format 3D printing.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Transforms plastic waste into functional urban infrastructure through large-format 3D printing, offering municipalities 40-60% cost savings versus traditional manufacturing while creating circular economy solutions that reduce landfill waste and carbon footprint.

How They Differentiate

Uses 100% post-consumer plastic waste without filament conversion (vs competitors who often use filament), focuses on Italian municipal projects with local partnerships, achieves larger build volumes (up to 1m³) for street furniture.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Municipalities, public institutions, urban planners, architects, sustainability-focused organizations

Industry Verticals

Municipal/Public Infrastructure; Architecture & Design; Art & Cultural Projects; Sustainability/Waste Management

Competitors

Print your City (Netherlands); The New Raw (Netherlands); Plasticiet (Netherlands)

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

No metrics such as revenue, employee count, or customer growth available.

Major Milestones

First in Europe to use specific post-consumer materials for large-format 3D printing (2022); Installation of 3D-printed benches in Lucca using 3,000+ recycled milk cartons (2022); Completion of large-scale 3D-printed art project in Florence (2023); Launch of SMAC (School of Additive Manufacturing in Coreglia Antelminelli) for professional training

Notable Customers

City of Lucca (Italy); City of Florence (Italy); Capannori municipality

https://r3direct.it

Why this company matters

R3direct occupies a niche at the intersection of large-format additive manufacturing and the circular economy. Based in Capannori, Italy, the company prints urban infrastructure — benches, bollards, architectural elements — using 100% post-consumer recycled plastic waste. Its core differentiator is a proprietary process that feeds heterogeneous recycled plastic granules directly into a material extrusion printer, eliminating the energy-intensive step of converting waste into filament. This approach reduces energy consumption by up to 30% and material costs, while achieving build volumes up to one cubic meter.

The company targets municipalities and public institutions seeking cost-effective, sustainable alternatives to traditionally manufactured street furniture. R3direct claims 40-60% cost savings versus conventional fabrication. Notable municipal clients include the cities of Lucca, Florence, and Capannoni. In 2022, Lucca installed 3D-printed benches made from over 3,000 recycled milk cartons, supplied by material partner Revet S.p.A. The company also completed a large-scale 3D-printed art project in Florence in 2023 and operates the SMAC training school for additive manufacturing in Coreglia Antelminelli.

R3direct competes with Dutch firms Print your City, The New Raw, and Plasticiet, but differentiates by using 100% post-consumer waste without filament conversion and by focusing on Italian municipal partnerships. The company has raised $6.16 million in total funding. Its reliance on heterogeneous waste streams may limit repeatability and material certification for safety-critical infrastructure, but its model aligns with growing EU mandates for recycled content in public procurement.