Proto Labs builds in Europe with Alphaform

Proto Labs has bought selected operations of German-based manufacturer Alphaform AG, which has service bureau facilities in Feldkirchen and Eschenlohe, as well as in Finland, and the United Kingdom.

The acquisition adds selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering and additional stereolithography to Proto Labs’ existing European capabilities, completing a full service offering in Germany, from prototyping to low volume production. The purchase does not include MediMet Precision Casting and Implants Technology GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of Alphaform.

“Germany is renowned as a centre for quality manufacturing, and the high demand for quick turn prototypes and production parts makes it a key area for our continued growth,” said Vicki Holt, President and CEO at Proto Labs. “Our expansion in the region will greatly benefit from the level of expertise and local knowledge that Alphaform’s highly skilled employees bring with them.”

“Alphaform had a reputation as a quality company making quality parts,“ added John Tumelty, MD of Proto Labs Ltd. ”The addition of such a well-regarded manufacturing facility in Germany, along with the combined expertise of a talented local workforce, will help us to expand our additive manufacturing brand proposition. Proto Labs will quickly become a one-stop shop for addressing a wide spectrum of product development and production requirements in Germany and the wider continent,” he concluded.