Rapid manufacturer Proto Labs has purchased select assets and operations of German-based manufacturer Alphaform. The deal extends Proto Labs’ additive manufacturing capabilities across Europe by adding selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering and additional stereolithography capabilities.
Alphaform is a service bureau headquartered in Feldkirchen, Munich, Germany. The acquisition includes Alphaform divisions operating in Germany, Finland and the United Kingdom.
The acquisition also includes the injection moulding service currently offered by Alphaform Claho, in Eschenlohe, Germany. MediMet Precision Casting and Implants Technology, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Alphaform AG is not part of the transaction.
‘We believe Alphaform will expand our share of the additive manufacturing market in Europe,’ said Vicki Holt, Proto Labs CEO. ‘This opportunity is also an ideal complement to our existing business.’
Proto Labs’ existing European business includes injection moulding, CNC machining and stereolithography services operating out of Telford, England. The purchase also gives Proto Labs a major presence in Germany, which is the largest single market for the company’s services in Europe.