About Upscale Prints

From Creative 3D Prints to Digital Manufacturing

Upscale Prints is a New Zealand 3D printing and digital manufacturing business based in Ōtaki.

Founded by Barny Thorpe in July 2022, the business began by producing creative 3D-printed products for customers and local events. Since then, it has grown into a broader design and manufacturing studio offering CAD design, 3D scanning, prototyping, custom 3D printing, direct UV printing and small-batch production.

We work with individuals, designers, clubs and New Zealand businesses, helping turn everything from print-ready files and broken parts through to early product ideas into professionally made physical products.

What We Do

Our work includes:

Whether a customer has a finished file or simply an idea, we provide practical guidance throughout the process and help determine the most suitable way to produce it.

Designed and Manufactured In-House

Much of the Upscale Prints product range is designed in-house, allowing us to refine our products and maintain consistent standards. We also manufacture formally licensed designs from independent artists, supporting their creativity while bringing a wider variety of products to our customers.

Our services and products are produced in-house across our Ōtaki and Upper Hutt operations, with orders shipped throughout New Zealand.

Meet the Team

Barny

Barny founded Upscale Prints and runs the main studio in Ōtaki. He is involved throughout the design and manufacturing process, including CAD design, scanning, prototyping, printing, finishing and working directly with customers.

His focus is practical problem-solving and helping customers turn ideas into products that can be reliably manufactured.

Dan

Dan runs our Upper Hutt print farm and is our master of props. He specialises in large, detailed pieces inspired by science fiction and fantasy, bringing a strong understanding of scale, production and finishing to the team.

Dan also represents Upscale Prints at the Brewtown Farmers Market and other events in his local area.

Tyla

Tyla supports day-to-day operations and represents Upscale Prints at markets and events.

She is also the artist behind Manawa Tāngata, her own brand producing culturally inspired décor and meaningful gifts. Manawa Tāngata products are designed by Tyla and manufactured with the support of Upscale Prints.

More Than Printing a File

For custom design and development projects, our involvement extends beyond operating the printers.

We help customers consider material selection, part strength, print orientation, tolerances, assembly and how a design may be produced repeatedly. This allows us to support projects from an initial concept through prototypes and into small-scale manufacturing.

Always Developing

We continually invest in new equipment and processes that expand what we can offer. Recent developments include direct UV printing for custom parts, signage, display items and genuine LEGO elements.

We are also exploring laser cutting, engraving and other manufacturing capabilities that complement our existing design, scanning and printing services.

Goat, Raptor and the Creative Side of Upscale

Goat and Raptor regularly appear at events and on our social media. What began as a couple of fun upscaled printing projects has turned into part of the Upscale Prints identity.

They reflect an important part of the business: experimenting, making unusual things and enjoying the creative process alongside the serious technical work.

Have a Project in Mind?

Whether you need a single part, help developing an idea or a reliable small production run, tell us what you are working on and we will help determine the next step.