GoProto has expanded its Industry 4.0 presence with the acquisition of 3D Systems’ Australian facility in Melbourne, while also increasing additive manufacturing capacity at its North American facility.

After receiving the highest ever ranking for an additive manufacturer on the Inc. 500 list of fastest growing private companies, GoProto has capitalised on this momentum by expanding even further into the digital manufacturing landscape. The acquisition of 3D Systems’ Australian facility, the largest digital manufacturing service bureau in the region, coupled with the earlier acquisition of WYSIWYG 3D, sees GoProto become the largest digital manufacturer in the Australian market.

Further emphasising its global reach, GoProto’s North American facility in San Diego, California, has also installed two new HP 5210 Multi Jet Fusion printers. Adding these two high-productivity 3D printers to its existing six 4200 MJF printers increases GoProto’s production capacity at that location by approximately 50%.

As of 1 December, GoProto acquired 3D Systems’ Australian on-demand manufacturing facility, the largest 3D digital manufacturer in the APAC region. Located in Melbourne and commissioned just two years ago, the state-of-the-art facility houses a full range of 3D Systems production-ready 3D printers and a highly experienced management and operations team. This pivotal acquisition will accelerate GoProto’s strategy to become the largest Industry 4.0 player in the Australian market.

“This acquisition is a significant leap forward in our growth plans for the region, with an experienced management team that pioneered the introduction of 3D printing into APAC,” says Simon Marriott, Director at GoProto (ANZ) Pty Ltd. “The benefits to our manufacturing customers will be significant as they transition to Industry 4.0 and seek to build agile supply chains that are resilient to global influences.”

Earlier in November, GoProto also acquired WYSIWYG 3D, creating a unified laser scanning and 3D entity focused on expansion in the digital manufacturing space. WYSIWYG 3D has been providing 3D scanning services since 2003 and will continue to provide the same quality laser scanning, photogrammetry and 3D CAD modelling service under the GoProto banner in Sydney.

Commenting on the development, Shane Rolton, Managing Director at WYSIWYG 3D, said: “We’ve already been working on a number of projects with GoProto. Combining our expertise and resources shortens the time lag between scan data and production, putting ourselves exactly where our customers need us.”

By adding this expertise to GoProto’s already expansive service portfolio, the acquisitions enable a streamlined solution for every stage of the product development lifecycle, open up new opportunities for the companies’ combined customer base, and create a firm foundation for further expansion as an Industry 4.0 leader.

With the installation of two new HP 5210 Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers at the San Diego manufacturing facility, GoProto increases the MJF install base at this location from six HP 4200 MJF printers to a total of eight, and increases production capacity at this site by approximately 50%. With this, GoProto has also upped its build units from 30 to 34, ensuring 24/7 production capability on all eight MultiJet 3D printers.

Jesse Lea, President and CEO at GoProto, said: “The current global supply chain structure has shifted during the pandemic. Companies are looking to minimise their risk in procuring production parts. With our business model focusing on Industry 4.0 principles, expansion of capacities for domestic rapid manufacturing with the latest technologies and materials and the complete end-to-end service model, GoProto is ideally situated to help our customers with assurance of supply.”