Benkert Bänke believes that public furniture should be an experience. It’s not just about rest, it’s about exploration, interaction, and inspiration in the outdoors.

For more than four decades, the family-owned company Benkert Bänke has crafted stainless-steel benches that can survive Bavarian winters and Mediterranean summers alike. Yet the firm’s ambition has always reached beyond durability. Their passion lies in creating modular, customizable, and durable solutions for public spaces. They do this by blending craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology.

In 2024 Benkert took a decisive step toward that goal by installing a CEAD Flexbot robotic pellet-extrusion system and switching a growing share of its production to Large-Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM).

This article highlights Bankert Bänke’s additive journey. Continue reading for more or watch their set-up in the embedded video.

Merging Innovation with Sustainability

Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) plays a pivotal role in Benkert Bänke’s process, allowing the team to rapidly prototype, iterate, and produce without the need for costly skilled labour. This significantly shortens lead times for custom and limited production runs, empowering more freedom in design and application.

At the heart of their material palette lies recycled PET-G reinforced with glass fiber. This composite results in components that are, robust enough to handle long-term outdoor exposure.

Every component is UV-stable, moisture-resistant, and built to endure years of outdoor exposure. Better still, it’s recyclable, aligning with the firms’ vision for a more sustainable world.

Smarter fabrication, faster results

With Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM), we’ve shortened the path from design to deployment. Rapid prototyping means fewer tools, shorter lead times, and the freedom to iterate without compromise. Whether it’s a one-off urban installation or a limited production run, we move fast, without sacrificing detail or quality.

Designed to Inspire

Take our latest piece: a striking yet ergonomic chair, printed in one seamless form and framed in stainless steel. Engineered for both indoor and outdoor use, it’s as comfortable as it is sculptural. It exemplifies how we integrate digital fabrication with traditional metalwork to bring bold concepts to life.

Benkert Bänke is pushing the limits of furniture design in collaboration with CEAD, not just for aesthetics, but to explore how new technologies can shape how we gather, rest, and engage in shared environments.

Start your large format journey with CEAD’s LFAM machines

CEAD revolutionizes production facilities around the world. Our hybrid manufacturing solutions help to cut lead times, decrease production costs and dependency on manual labour, while enabling new design possibilities.

Validate your business case with CEAD’s additive manufacturing specialists.