How It Started

Our Origin Story

Problem

The opposite of many products born from years or decades of R&D, the original BuildTak printing surface was created in 2013 as the indirect result of another experiment at Ideal Jacobs Corp, a commercial printing and manufacturing company in Maplewood, New Jersey.

It all started with needing a more cost-effective solution to prototyping products that feature embossed Braille.

Frustration

Company owner, Andrew Jacobs, and Vice President, Mike Valentine, were both passionate about new technology and decided to invest in an affordable, desktop 3D printer.

That 3D printer turned out to be quite the challenge that inspired what was to come, because if necessity is the mother of invention, then 3D printing is definitely a parent of necessity!

Solutions

Failed prints, slurry, makeshift solutions, and difficult removals were frustrating our team, so we experimented with a new material; it worked on the first try.

Our team began testing and fine-tuning material components for the best combination of texture and adhesive, and before long, it was goodbye to hassle, and hello to the original BuildTak printing surface!

Our Team Is the Heart of Our Company

BuildTak is a team of 30+ employees in our NJ facility. We are problem-solvers, tinkerers, and creators, just like our customers! Our goal is to make the 3D experience more user-friendly and more accessible to a broader community of users. Our people are our greatest resource, and the culture of our company is a direct result of the passion, innovation, and ingenuity of our leadership team. Our growth and success are the product of our entire team’s dedication to creating and delivering only the best to our customers around the globe.

Reputation‍ Built on Quality

We know the frustration and stress that our customers experience, because we go through it too! That’s why we always have new tools and accessories in various stages of the design process.

Our solutions are cleverly designed and rigorously tested because we’ve worked hard to earn your trust – and we aim to keep it. Our printing solutions are designed to work AND built to last. In fact, BuildTak sheets were developed in NJ, and they are still produced there today!

We’ve Got Your Back

The BuildTak team is proud that our combined ideas and efforts have made us a leader for 3D printing in the 21st century. We love tinkering with new technologies and excel at solving problems. 

Several of our products were designed as a result of customer demand, because every challenge you encounter is one that we want to solve. BuildTak has always been and will always be committed to creating the highest-quality products that make existing 3D printers easy for you to use.

Explore Products

The BuildTak Original 3D Printing Surface Is an Industry Standard and Sold All Over the World.

BuildTak is the sister brand of Ideal Jacobs Corporation and we are proudly headquartered in Maplewood, New Jersey.

About Ideal Jacobs

Ideal Jacobs Corporation is a global manufacturer of high-quality printing solutions that include graphic overlays, gaskets, molded panels, and molded plastic parts. 

Originally a printing broker, the company was created in 1921 by Morris Jacobs. As the decades passed, leadership passed to his son Jerome and later, his grandson Andrew. During these decades, Ideal Jacobs transitioned from being printer brokers to globally respected printing manufacturer. 

As head of the company since 1985, Andrew has led the company’s expansion from a single manufacturing facility to its current global presence. Ideal Jacobs now has two additional Manufacturing Plants in China, Distribution Centers in Mexico and Belgium, and Sales Offices in Toronto, Israel, and Thailand.

Visit Ideal Jacobs Corp Website