Among innovations in the tech world in the past decade, 3D printing has been sparking a lot of curiosity among geeks and entrepreneurs alike. The option to create anything from prosthetic limbs to auto parts and even entire buildings from a virtual model has been a fascinating offering as part of the fourth industrial revolution.

The technology which promises to print out artificial organs for transplants some day is growing leaps and bounds with additions like 3D-printed vegan meat. One of the key players in the sector for the Middle East has been a startup with its origins in Dubai, that uses 3D printing to supply spare parts for the gulf's thriving oil and gas industry.

But as the world looks for renewable alternatives to fossil fuel, the company called Immensa is also eyeing expansion into diverse sectors to capitalise on a largely untapped 3D printing market. A lot like several businesses started using their manufacturing units to ensure supply of masks and ventilators during the pandemic, Immensa also started 3D-printing face shields to safeguard people in the Middle East against infections.

The Emirati entity had started its journey years back in 2017, and was providing spare parts for machinery in the oil and gas sector where maintenance is a priority for uninterrupted ops. Immensa's products cut out the requirement for stocking up on spare parts, and at the same time facilitated quick delivery of components crafted with precision, to speed up repairs and replacements.

Today the innovative enterprise has two facilities in Dubai and Sharjah, while it acquires smaller players from Saudi Arabia to stitch up a conglomerate in the region. The company that has supplied 5000 face shields to firms in the Middle East, has held on to the oil and gas sector with 32 engineers who are experts in the field.

Making great strides forward, the young startup has crossed the gulf and expanded its business all the way into Kazakhstan.