Proto Labs Expands Its Additive Manufacturing Footprint
The acquisition of a new facility significantly increases Proto Labs additive manufacturing space and overall capacity.
MAPLE PLAIN, Minn.--Proto Labs, Inc. (NYSE: PRLB) has acquired a new facility to expand its 3D printing service into a larger and more efficient additive manufacturing space. The 77,000 sq. ft. facility will allow the digital manufacturing company to house all of its stereolithography (SL), selective laser sintering (SLS) and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technology under one roof. The new plant is scheduled to become fully operational in the first half of 2016, and will remain in the North Carolina area where Proto Labs current additive facilities are located.
In addition to moving its existing equipment into the larger space, the prototyping and low-volume manufacturer plans to increase its overall 3D printing capacity with new machines. Anchoring the expansion will be SLS and DMLS equipment, which produce durable nylon parts and functional metal parts respectively. As 3D printing continues to grow industry-wide, Proto Labs plans to be well-equipped to accommodate the ongoing evolution of additive manufacturing.
"Since the launch of 3D printing at Proto Labs, weve increased our material selection and improved our turnaround time to days. We have also introduced additive services in Europe," explains Rob Connelly, Proto Labs VP of Additive Manufacturing. "Our state-of-the-art facility will be a critical driver in advancing 3D printing for many years to come."
FineLine Prototyping, Inc. was acquired by Proto Labs in April 2014, and over the past year, its additive manufacturing capabilities have been fully integrated into Proto Labs, serving now as one of three flagship services alongside injection molding and CNC machining. Proto Labs revenue from additive services totaled $4.5 million in the first quarter of 2015, which is a 79 percent increase compared to FineLines first quarter of 2014.
"We could not be more excited about the progress weve made in one short year with our additive manufacturing service," says Vicki Holt, President and CEO at Proto Labs. "With three uniquely different and complementary offerings, were now truly able to help designers and engineers take a product from the initial stages of prototyping through low-volume production."
About Proto Labs, Inc.
Proto Labs is the world's fastest digital manufacturing source for custom prototypes and low-volume production parts. The technology-enabled company uses advanced 3D printing, CNC machining and injection molding technologies to produce parts within days. The result is an unprecedented speed-to-market value for product designers and engineers worldwide. Visit protolabs.com for more information.
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