AMTIL has announced the appointment of John Croft as the new Manager of the Additive Manufacturing Hub (AM Hub). John joins AMTIL on the back of a wide-ranging career in Australian manufacturing, having most recently served as Business Development Manager for Automation & Robotics at Robert Bosch Australia.
Led by AMTIL and generously supported by the Victorian Government, the AM Hub has been established to grow and develop additive manufacturing (AM) capability. Its goals are to: promote and market AM capabilities; support the creation of high-quality AM jobs; provide a forum for dialogue and communication for the AM industry; encourage R&D, innovation and collaboration; and provide a strong, cohesive voice on AM sector development.
John is uniquely well placed to oversee the direction of the AM Hub, having been at the forefront of the adoption of AM technology in Australia for more than two decades. In the early 1990s he launched Interact Plastic Services, the first private company in this country to move into AM, having purchased a Stratasys FDM 2000 3D printer. For John, part of the appeal of his new role with AMTIL has been the opportunity to re-engage with AM and its continuing development.
“I have had to ask myself who in their lifetime gets an opportunity to complete something they started 23 years ago?” he said. “I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with AMTIL in one of the major technologies that will eventually become the norm for future manufacturing.”
John started his career from humble beginnings, initially working as an apprentice fitter and turner, before moving quickly into the plastics industry, where he accrued many years of experience in plastics toolmaking. His career has seen him closely involved in every aspect of product development from concept to manufacturing – including design for manufacture – as well as running consultancies on a range of global platforms and industries.
Commercially astute and strategically focused, John has extensive experience of providing solutions to major players in the manufacturing, defence, automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, FMCG, food and agricultural sectors. At Bosch he had an excellent success rate in identifying commercial opportunities, establishing a new division that would become the preferred supplier of medical device assembly equipment for Cook Medical, Fisher & Paykel, ResMed and Cochlear, as well as supplying a range of other industry sectors.
With exemplary technical and cultural expertise in manufacturing, John has a proven track record in driving growth in sales, revenue and customer base, working with stakeholders from across the globe. His ability to build strong relationships at all levels and to work with key business decision-makers will make him a valuable asset to AMTIL and the AM Hub.
“I look forward to working with the AMTIL staff – our members in making the AM Hub the centre of additive manufacturing in the ASEAN Region,” John added.