Carbon partners with DDK for 3D printed saddle production in Asia
The agreement establishes DDK as Carbon's first Tier 1 contract manufacturer dedicated exclusively to saddle production, with full assembly capabilities under one roof
Carbon has named DDK Group as its first Tier 1 contract manufacturer for 3D printed saddles in Asia, consolidating additive manufacturing of latticed saddles and final assembly within a single facility—a supply chain model the company had not previously operated in the region.
Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Taiwan, DDK Group has spent more than five decades as a manufacturer in the global bicycle saddle industry, building experience across the full production stack: frame construction, padding systems, cover materials, suspension technologies, and rail specifications. That vertical integration within the saddle category made DDK a natural fit for Carbon’s requirements, which go beyond printing alone to include finished, assembled saddles delivered directly to brand customers.
From custom to mass market
3D printed saddles built their commercial track record through high-end and custom applications—performance road saddles from brands such as Specialized, Fizik, and Selle Italia, where premium pricing made the technology economically viable. The DDK deal marks a departure from that pattern. DDK is a volume manufacturer with a product catalog spanning road racing, mountain biking, trekking, city, BMX, and junior categories, and its entry into Carbon’s production network signals that the technology has reached cost and throughput thresholds where mass-market saddle programs are now within reach.
Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis technology has now enabled the production of close to one million 3D printed saddles to date, with demand currently outpacing existing manufacturing capacity. The DDK partnership is positioned to address that gap by adding dedicated printing capacity in Asia, where proximity to OEM supply chains and cost structures differ substantially from Carbon’s existing North American and European manufacturing base.
Phil DeSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Carbon, described the move as a defining step for the category. “3D printed saddles are no longer a flagship novelty — they’re a must-have in brand portfolios, and our customers need partners who can deliver them at scale, in the right geographies, with the right capabilities,” he said. “DDK opens the door to a faster path from design to rider, and brings 3D printed performance within reach of a much wider range of riders, budgets, and skill levels.”
OEMs enable supply chain compression
By bringing printing and assembly under one roof, DDK aims to reduce handoffs in the saddle supply chain and shorten time-to-market for brand customers. Carbon said the setup also creates a path into the OEM market—where volume requirements and cost sensitivity have historically kept 3D printed saddles out of reach for mass-market bicycle programs.
DDK’s materials range covers PVC, vinyl, leather, and Kevlar covers, alongside steel, titanium, and carbon fiber rails, positioning the manufacturer to serve a broad cross-section of bicycle brands already working with Carbon’s platform.
