Tech Nation

Stratasys unveils color, multi-material 3-D printer

Stratasys, an Israeli-U.S. maker of 3-D printers, on Monday unveiled the first 3-D printer to combine a range of colors with rigid, flexible and transparent materials. The Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer combines three base materials with color to produce complex parts without a need for separate assembly or painting, Staratasys said. Like an inkjet color printer, the Objet500 combines cyan, magenta and yellow color materials in various proportions to produce hundreds of colors. The printer is designed for creating product prototypes that will enable manufacturers to test their designs before ordering full production runs and to accelerate the design process. (TheMarker Staff)

Ness looks to be Israel’s first unionized tech firm

The first serious attempt at union organization in an Israeli high-tech company has begun at Ness Technologies, spurred by an announcement of planned layoffs. Last weekend a nascent worker committee, in a letter to employees, formally announced the drive to sign up members and affiliate with the Histadrut labor federation. It is unclear how many of the company’s 2,800 employees have agreed to join. Two weeks ago, CEO Ofer Segev said 20 managers would be laid off at the information technology services and business-consulting company. He said executives would take a pay cut of 6% to 10% and employees would lose four vacation days as part of a retrenchment plan. (Haim Bior)

Mellanox said to be weighing purchase of BATM

Mellanox Technologies, whose chips are used to speed electronic data transfer, is considering purchasing Israel’s BATM Advanced Communications, sources told TheMarker. Mellanox CEO Eyal Waldman and BATM CEO and controlling shareholder Zvi Marom have met to discuss a full or partial sale. BATM, whose London Stock Exchange shares trade at a market capitalization of $100 million, designs and manufactures telecommunications products and medical laboratory diagnostic systems, but sources said Mellanox in only interested in the former. Marom declined comment. Its shares were up 2% in New York early afternoon Monday local time. (Dror Reich)