HP Inc India will bring its 3D range of printers to the Indian market in the first quarter in 2018, its Managing Director Sumeer Chandra has said.

According to Business Line, Chandra said “We will launch, sell and service 3D printers in India. Initially, it will be focussed on the commercial segment, not on the retail segment.”

HP Inc’s 3D printers are not manufactured in India but are expected to find use in sectors, such as automobiles and healthcare, in India, he added.

“Our 3D printer range will be available pan-India,” said Chandra.

HP Inc is already selling its 3D printers in Japan and China. Most manufacturing in India is being done in certain clusters and HP Inc India will focus on these clusters to sell its 3D printers, Chandra said.

Globally, the 3D printing market is estimated at about $5 billion.

Chandra said the company had no immediate business goals for its 3D printers in India, but expected them to augment the Indian unit’s revenues.

With increased government push for Digital India, HP Inc India is also looking to review its manufacturing footprint in India and scale it. “We are looking to increase the level of manufacturing that we do in India,” Chandra said.

Currently, HP Inc India has a manufacturing facility at Pantnagar, where desktops are manufactured.

Commenting on what he sees as the growth drivers for HP Inc India, Chandra said consumers were the growth opportunity (with increased consumerisation); small and medium businesses in the medium to long-term and highlighted that education is a huge long-term opportunity.