Digital Manufacturer Builds Business in Cary, NC
When digital manufacturer Proto Labs decided to add 3D printing to its services, the Minnesota-based company searched for a strategic opportunity to expand – and found more than it imagined in North Carolina.
A leader in the “Industry 4.0” manufacturing revolution, Proto Labs acquired Cary, N.C.-based FineLine Prototyping in 2014, and quickly saw 3D printing become its fastest growing line of business.
The company not only inherited FineLine’s 3D expertise, it also gained access to a pipeline of talent in a state long known for innovation in manufacturing. North Carolina’s positive business climate also helped persuade Proto Labs to invest $25 million in a state-of-the-art 3D production facility to expand its presence in the state.
“We have a fantastic workforce that really understands the transformation going on as more companies get connected and digitalize their manufacturing processes,” said Vicki Holt, Proto Labs’ CEO. “There’s also a steady stream of talent from the North Carolina colleges that can sustain our growth and bring new ideas. And North Carolina is a friendly state for doing business.”
Proto Labs helps companies innovate, partnering with engineers and product designers around the world to make prototype and production parts for a range of industries. It employs digital manufacturing technology to streamline and expedite CNC machining, injection molding and 3D printing. By automating much of the manufacturing process, Proto Labs can ship parts as soon as the same day designs are submitted.
Medical, computer technology and automotive sectors are leading customers. A North Carolina pharmaceutical company, for example, recently turned to Proto Labs for help producing a lever – using 3D printing – that would control the dosage of medicine dispensed from children’s inhalers.
“Companies everywhere are rethinking how they design and assemble products,” Holt said. “It’s crucial that we help people understand American manufacturing is a technology leader, so we can stay on the leading edge of this revolution.”
