Tempus 3D, a Trail-based industrial 3D printing company, is building a new recycling process for plastics waste and end-of-life 3D printed parts after receiving a $250,000 grant from the CleanBC Plastics Action Fund.
The company will use the funding to create a system that recycles hard-to-process materials, particularly nylon, which is widely used in 3D printed parts for industries such as orthotics, prosthetics, and other medical devices.
At present, most of these parts are destined for landfills due to a lack of viable recycling options.
“This has become particularly impactful with the mass adoption of 3D printing in industries like orthotics, prosthetics, and other medical devices,” said Robert Bleier, chief executive officer of Tempus 3D, in an interview with the Trail Times.
“The process that Tempus is building will enable us to provide a fully circular solution for our customers and a novel recycling option for otherwise unrecyclable parts for the broader market.”
The project aims to cut down on the use of virgin plastics, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen the circular economy in the Kootenays by recovering and reprocessing post-consumer resin.
The three-person team at Tempus 3D took the Trail Times on a tour of its operations on Friday to demonstrate how the process works.
Bleier, alongside production lead Jordon Shupe and manufacturing advisor Jonathan Guercio, started the walkthrough in their production room.
In it are large boxes of virgin plastic powder, used as the primary medium in its 3D printing systems. Over time, this powder degrades through repeated use and becomes unsuitable for printing, typically requiring disposal.
With support from the new grant, Tempus 3D is working to develop a system that recycles this degraded medium, bringing it back into the production cycle.
The goal is to reduce waste and support a more sustainable manufacturing model.
Another objective is to explore recycling methods for the products they manufacture, such as custom orthotics.
Once these plastics reach the end of their usable life, Tempus 3D hopes to divert them from landfills by reprocessing the material for new applications.
Tempus 3D has been operating for five years out of the Selkirk Technology Access Centre, located on Highway Drive in Glenmerry.
Bleier works closely with students enroled in the digital design and fabrication diploma course offered at the Trail campus.
In fact, both Guercio and Shupe are recent graduates of the program.
Notably, the company doesn’t design the products it prints; instead, they receive highly detailed digital files from clients across Canada and deliver on-demand manufacturing of complex plastic and metal components at scale, with minimal waste.
So its expansion into recycling reinforces Tempus 3D’s role in sustainable, regionally based manufacturing.
“Tempus 3D is doing some incredibly impressive stuff right here in the Kootenays,” said Steve Morissette, MLA for Kootenay-Monashee, who also visited the company’s Glenmerry office on Friday.
“Our province is supporting innovative businesses by helping them make greener waste management decisions.”
The grant is part of a wider $8-million investment by the B.C. government in 2025 to support 34 new projects through the CleanBC Plastics Action Fund.
These initiatives promote recycling, reuse, and repair of plastic products, with a focus on replacing single-use plastics and creating local green jobs.
This year’s recipients include projects ranging from reusable cup systems at large events and textile recycling to zero-waste retail expansions and community dishwashing infrastructure.
According to the provincial government, previous phases of the program have already created more than 240 full-time jobs, with more expected in the current round.
In total, the fund has invested more than $35 million since its launch in 2020, supporting nearly 100 projects across the province.
