It looks like Proto Labs‘ plans to expand its European additive manufacturing and 3D printing services are taking a step forward today.
The company has just announced its acquisition of Alphaform, one of Germany’s leading 3D print service providers.
This comes just a couple of months after the German outfit announced that it was filing for bankruptcy.
According to the Proto Labs press release: “This acquisition will significantly expand Proto Labs’ additive manufacturing capabilities in Europe by adding selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering and additional stereolithography capabilities.
“The acquisition also includes the injection moulding service currently offered by Alphaform Claho, in Eschenlohe, Germany. MediMet Precision Casting and Implants Technology GmbH, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Alphaform AG is not part of the transaction.”
The transaction is expected to be completed in early October and should also go a long way to providing the assets that Protolabs needs to match its services currently offered on the other side of Atlantic, in terms of sintering of both plastics and metals.
