AUGSBURG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(Formnext 2021) - Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: VLD), a leading metal additive manufacturing technology company for mission-critical parts, has expanded its European presence to support its growth efforts in the region. The expansion includes the opening of a technical center in Augsburg, Germany, where Velo3D’s Sapphire® systems will be assembled and demonstrated, as well as delivering the first end-to-end manufacturing solution to Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield (SBO) Technology, a European contract manufacturer specializing in the production of high-value metal parts for the oil and gas industry. Both companies will be at Formnext 2021, the leading additive manufacturing conference in Europe, taking place on November 16-19, 2021, in Frankfurt, Germany.
“Europe is a key market for Velo3D’s growth in the coming years and we’re thrilled to deliver our first end-to-end additive manufacturing solution and open our new technical center to accelerate this expansion,” said Benny Buller, Velo3D CEO and Founder. “With Velo3D’s end-to-end solutions, seeing is believing, and at our Augsburg facility, we’ll be able to demonstrate our impressive additive manufacturing technology in person to customer prospects. We’re also pleased to be launching in Europe with our first customer, SBO, supporting its effort to expand its capabilities and service new industries using our Sapphire® system.”
SBO is a multinational corporation with 1,130 employees worldwide operating more than 450 conventional CNC machines. The company’s U.S.-based subsidiary, Knust-Godwin LLC, has extensively validated Velo3D’s end-to-end additive manufacturing technology in its Houston facility and is using its solutions to build production parts for its customers in the aerospace and oil and gas industries. SBO’s new Sapphire® system will be located in the company’s Austrian headquarters and will unlock the ability to print complex metal parts in Inconel 718. SBO has EN 9100, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications, which allow it to develop and produce parts for aerospace customers, as well as other industries, while also meeting certain standards for quality and environmental management.
“By adding Velo3D’s innovative additive manufacturing solution to our capabilities, we will be able to expand into new markets and service new customers, helping them build metal parts that were previously thought impossible to create,” said Campbell MacPherson, SBO EVP of Advanced Manufacturing. “Over the past few years, many of our customers have inquired about 3D printing. Velo3D’s ability to create parts without having to design them for additive manufacturing makes it stand out compared to other solutions. Its end-to-end solution is very complementary to our existing offerings and will allow us to greatly improve the supply chain for our customers.”
Velo3D’s new European Technology Center will allow the additive manufacturing technology company to better service customers like SBO by enabling company leaders to demonstrate its advanced 3D printing capabilities. The facility will be located at the Augsburg Innovations Park in Augsburg, Germany, and will include more than 110 square meters (1,200 square feet) of space across a main hall (which will house Sapphire® systems), a lab area, and offices. It also includes conference rooms for hosting customers for presentations, events, and other meetings.
“The feedback we’ve received from engineers and additive manufacturing experts across Europe is that Velo3D’s technology delivers novel capabilities in geometry, quality, and scalability,” said Zach Murphree, Velo3D VP of Global Sales and Business Development. “By taking delivery of our first machine in Europe, SBO stands to differentiate itself in the European contract manufacturer market, which is one of the largest markets for high-value metal parts. We look forward to growing our customer base in the region.”
Europe-based engineers who would like to learn more about Velo3D’s end-to-end additive manufacturing solution can visit the company at Formnext 2021 in Hall 11, booth C11. At the booth, conference attendees will learn more about Velo3D’s capabilities, see SupportFree™ parts printed using Velo3D’s technology, and meet the Velo3D and SBO teams.
About Velo3D:
Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology company. 3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing (AM)—has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable.
Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The company’s solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, power generation, energy and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The end-to-end solution includes the Flow™ print preparation software, the Sapphire® family of printers, and the Assure™ quality control system—all of which are powered by Velo3D’s Intelligent Fusion® manufacturing process. The company delivered its first Sapphire® system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Honeywell, Honda, Chromalloy, and Lam Research. Velo3D has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2021. For more information, please visit velo3d.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter.
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