Carbon appoints DDK Group as first Tier 1 supplier in Asia

Published on May 16, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

Carbon, the California-based 3D printing company, has appointed DDK Group, a Taiwanese manufacturer of bicycle saddles, as its first Tier 1 supplier in Asia. The alliance makes DDK a vertically integrated production partner, combining additive manufacturing and final assembly in a single location. Carbon describes this model as a breakthrough for reducing time to market in the region.

Carbon 3D printer producing a bicycle saddle component inside DDK factory, additive manufacturing process showing UV light curing liquid resin layer by layer, robotic arm transferring finished saddle to assembly station, worker inspecting lattice structure of the saddle with digital calipers, engineering visualization style, bright industrial LED lighting, clean white workshop environment, semi-transparent resin tank visible, glowing cyan light source from printer head, metallic mold surface reflections, ultra-detailed mechanical parts, photorealistic technical render

Vertical integration to accelerate additive production 🏭

The Carbon and DDK model unifies the 3D printing of saddles with their final assembly in Taiwan, eliminating logistical steps between production phases. Carbon's technology uses UV-curable resins, enabling the creation of lattice structures that offer localized cushioning. DDK contributes its expertise in assembly and quality control, reducing lead time compared to fragmented supply chains. For Carbon, this vertical approach is key to scaling in the Asian market.

Your Taiwanese butt, printed in California 🍑

Now your butt can boast of resting on a saddle designed by a California company and manufactured by Taiwanese workers who previously only made plastic parts. Vertical integration sounds like luxury sushi: a layer of American engineering, a filling of Asian production. Next thing you know, the saddle will massage you while you climb a mountain pass. Meanwhile, competitors wonder if their butt deserves less vertical integration than this one.