Meet Vadim — the founder and owner of Hexerytec, a Calgary-based 3D printing company that creates both cute little trinkets and functional custom-made items.
If you need something simple printed as a gift, want to create a functional item with a custom design that makes life easier, or would like to collaborate with Vadim on a business project, reach out to Hexerytec. Vadim is known for providing reliable, professional, and fast service.
It all started back in 2012, when Vadim and his family were packing their bags in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, preparing to immigrate to Canada. Their eldest daughter was only 2 years old at the time, and one of her favorite activities was crawling under Vadim’s chair while he worked at the computer and playing with the cables. It was then that Vadim dreamed of one day having his own 3D printer.
A year after moving to Canada, in 2013, Vadim bought his very first 3D printer — a Printrbot with a wooden frame — his first creative companion. Printrbot has long since left the market, and a couple of years ago Vadim burned the wooden frame of that first 3D printer during one of their summer evenings by the backyard fire.
That first 3D printer was purchased simply for intellectual fun and to help create simple robots as a hobby. Vadim fondly remembers some of the robots he built back then:
• an old iron that followed a tape line on the floor in their first house;
• a ladybug made of papier-mâché with magnets on its body — it rolled vertically along their huge refrigerator on wheels;
• an alarm-clock car which, when the alarm went off, would drive away from its owner across the floor. To turn it off, you had to get up from the couch and chase it.
A few years later, in 2016, Vadim gradually began taking private 3D printing orders and started buying printers from the Czech company Prusa.
By the summer of 2022, the business had grown so successfully that Vadim left his job in the oil and gas sector (where he had worked for over 15 years — first in Azerbaijan, then in Canada) to fully focus on his small business. He has now been doing this for nearly four years. Currently, his clients include one major client, several smaller ones, and occasional one-off orders from private individuals.
Over the past couple of years, Vadim sold or dismantled all his old Prusa printers, which had faithfully served him for many years. Today, his lab mostly buzzes with Bambu Lab machines. On the desk in his office, in what he jokingly calls his “museum,” stands his second 3D printer — one of the early Prusa models, kept as a memento.
Vadim is a true enthusiast: any small project sparks his interest. He’s constantly printing something for himself or for the house. Give him something to work on and he’s happy. His wife laughs, “This is wonderful, of course — though sometimes a bit annoying, haha, when Vadim makes lots of ‘extra’ things for our children.”
How does Vadim bring joy to his family? First of all, he “prints money” — haha, meaning he provides a good income for the family with his business (just a joke). He prints elegant flower pots for the kitchen plants; for the kids — small toys, stationery, and fun cookie cutters for homemade cookies — Shrek, Peppa Pig, animals, etc. For his wife, Vadim made a really handy, snug-fit holder for her EV Kia’s charging cable: now it doesn’t lie on the garage floor but hangs neatly on the wall — perfect!
Let’s ask Vadim a few questions about his work.
One of the most common questions friends ask him:
Isn’t it boring to print all day alone? Don’t you ever want to go back to an office job?
Oh no! I have zero desire to return to the office. I value my independence, flexible schedule, and the chance to sleep in a little longer, haha. When I’m up for some company, I drop by my former colleagues — to chat about life, have coffee, or go out for lunch. As for printing day after day — I’ve gotten used to it [laughs]; work is work.
Do you design projects yourself for commercial orders and personal projects?
There are several websites — repositories of 3D models (you can think of them as “libraries” of ready-made designs). Some designs are free to use, while others require payment. Most of my clients provide ready models, so I only need to print them. Occasionally, a client asks me to create the design as well, and I gladly do that.
What was your most challenging 3D printing project?
Once I had a rush order from a university student: I had to print a model of a staircase. I worked almost nonstop for 3 days and 3 nights, even taking a day off my main job. I slept a couple of nights in the lab, on the floor next to the printer, because it wasn’t very reliable and couldn’t print accurately and continuously without my constant supervision. But I managed to deliver it to the student on time.
And your most fun project?
During last Christmas, I started printing large chess pieces. I found a ready design online and wanted to try it. The pieces are about 20 cm tall. Both sets, black and white, are ready. Now I need to come up with a suitable chessboard together with my kids. In our family, we sometimes enjoy playing chess — on weekends or during camping trips.
What are your long-term goals?
Of course, I want to grow the business: increase the number of orders (though it has been quite stable over the last five years), expand the lab, and add new 3D printers. I also try to make time to develop my client base: in early 2025, I joined the Calgary Chamber of Commerce — the city’s largest business association — and regularly take part in networking events. Last year, I prepared a large set of documents for a tender for a major Calgary company. One thing I know for sure: I want to keep working well into old age, as long as I have the energy — it provides both a solid income and the opportunity to do something I truly enjoy.