McDonald's and Philips team up for new 3D-printed lighting systems in 38,000 restaurants globally

Fast-food giant McDonald's has teamed up with Philips MyCreation to implement a new lighting system across its global restaurant chain. The company is aiming to enhance the dining experience while promoting environmental sustainability.

The plan involves installing custom-designed, 3D-printed light fixtures in all 38,000 McDonald's locations worldwide. The circular pendants will feature a unique embossed design, but the key aspect lies in their production method. By 3D-printing the lampshades with recyclable materials at locations near each restaurant, McDonald's will significantly reduce both shipping-related pollution and utility costs. Additionally, this on-demand production process will minimize waste compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

The new lighting system is in line with McDonald's long-term sustainability goals, specifically their target of cutting down their environmental impact by 2030. Embracing 3D-printing positions the company to offer an overall greener dining experience.

"The results exceeded our expectations," said Marc Pochert, Senior Director of Global Design Integration at McDonald's Corp, according to VoxelMatters. "After seeing the second sample, we were confident we had achieved our design goals, something we initially thought might be challenging."

The company has pretty ambitious plans for the global rollout. "We are aiming to have the Philips MyCreation lighting solution installed in McDonald's restaurants across more than 100 countries by the end of 2023," said Pochert. Restaurants is just one of many avenues where 3D-printing can do wonders. 3D-printed housing is already a thing (like this 3-storey 3D-printed Canadian townhouse).