Austrian-native Horst Hörtner is a visionary in the 3D printing field and sees a disruptive future ahead. Hörtner is a founder and senior director of the Ars Electronica Futurelab, where innovations have ranged from foldable digital newspapers to car navigation systems.

Disrupting China?

Hörtner comments on the impact of 3D printing to the global supply chain:

In the short-run – about five to 10 years – 3D printing will change our way of how we produce things, it will change the logistics of the entire global production.

[The next big things] could hasten the demise of the traditional factory and manufacturing model that has dominated since the industrial revolution. The business model built around factories that make things – a product-driven business model – is under threat from many transformative forces; 3D printing not least of all.

Hörtner was in Brisbane, Australia this past weekend to share his views. Read more about this interview and his research at the Brisbane Times.