“It has been well documented that the demand for 3D printed components for prototype or low volume production use is expected to grow significantly in the future,” stated Vickers. “Our centre in Gloucester has a long and well-established history in this field, providing some of the world’s leading companies with components as part of their product development programmes. As one of the early pioneers in rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing, or as people like to call it today - 3D printing, this addition combined with other investments we are making globally, ensure that we are well placed to support our customers’ needs in the future.
“This new machine will allow us to build larger, more complex SLA parts more accurately and in shorter timescales. In the last 12 months or so, we have also invested heavily in our prototyping operations in Gloucester, but also in our facility in France, near Annecy, where we installed three ProX800 as well.”
Demand for 3D printing and low volume manufacturing across Europe has also resulted in ARRK opening a new operation in Bydgoszcz, Poland to provide additional production capacity as well as being strategically located to support ARRK’s growth in Germany and Eastern Europe. ARRK Europe’s new German sales representatives, Stephan Pflueger and Volker Rechlin are having great success, working with many new customers, providing them with a range of services from stereolithography, selective laser sintering, Vac castings, CNC machining, block models, metal pressings and rapid tooling and moulding service.
The ARRK Group currently has prototyping centres in France, Spain, Poland and the UK with project advisers covering these countries as well as Germany, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium and the Nordic regions.