Protolabs is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and can look back on an impressive success story. Over the past decades, the company has established a firm place for itself in the field of rapid prototyping and small series production. Founded in 1999 by Larry Lukis in Long Lake, Minnesota, Protolabs began as a small project under the name Protomold and initially specialised in the injection moulding process. In the following years, the company expanded its portfolio and established itself worldwide as a major player in digital manufacturing.
Protolabs reached an important milestone in 2014 when it positioned itself as a provider in the field of 3D printing. Since then, additive manufacturing has made a significant contribution to the company’s growth.
“As we’ve grown and expanded our capabilities and capacity over the past 25 years, it’s always been about providing our customers with the best digital manufacturing experience in the industry,” emphasises Daniel Cohn, General Manager at Protolabs. “It is clear to us that this continuous development is part of our DNA and will continue to drive us in the future. Our vision and mission is to continue to make the impossible possible and to support our customers in turning dreams into reality,” adds Cohn.
A highlight of recent years was the opening of a state-of-the-art 3D printing centre in Putzbrunn near Munich in 2021. This facility serves as a European centre for additive manufacturing and meets the latest energy and production standards. During the coronavirus pandemic in particular, Protolabs demonstrated its flexibility by producing 20,000 face masks for medical facilities within 11 days.
“No idea is too crazy or unrealisable for us. With our various manufacturing processes, whether CNC, injection moulding or 3D printing, we adapt flexibly to the wishes of our customers from a wide range of industries,” emphasises Daniel Cohn.
In addition to medical technology, the aerospace, automotive and logistics sectors are also important markets for Protolabs. With the ‘Protolabs Network’ launched in 2023, the company is relying on an optimised manufacturing platform that enables customers to simplify and speed up the processing of their projects.
“With Protolabs Network, we have introduced a business model that the manufacturing industry has never seen before. Through this platform, we are empowering our customers to realise the full potential of our platform and manufacturing capabilities,” explains Rob Bodor, President and CEO of Protolabs.
The continuous expansion of the machine park and the introduction of new materials such as PA12 Glass Beads Smooth Grey underline the company’s innovative strength. Cohn concludes by emphasising that Protolabs will continue to focus on growth and further development in the coming years in order to meet the complex requirements of its customers and turn their ideas into reality.
“It goes without saying that we want to build on our successes over the next 25 years, continue to expand our portfolio and continue to fulfil our mission of providing our customers with the best possible support in the production of their ideas, no matter how complex they are,” says Daniel Cohn. “A great motivation for this is the inventive spirit and innovative strength of our customers, which will certainly allow us to continue our success for a long time to come,” concludes Cohn.
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