Prodways Group Acquires Interson-Protac, Announces Two New Distribution Partnerships

For more than 40 years, French company Interson-Protac has been a leader in the field of audiology. The company specializes in ear tips for hearing aids and noise protection devices, which are custom made based on impressions taken of the wearer’s ear canal. It’s a process that would lend itself very well to 3D printing, and Interson-Protac does use the technology for about 20% of its production, but it appears as though it is heading further in the direction of 3D printing. The company has just been acquired by 3D printing giant Prodways Group, and will now have access to Prodways’ extensive, advanced 3D printing technology.

Prodways Group already has influence in the medical and dental industries, and with the acquisition, Interson-Protac will now be able to expand its own use of 3D printing for its hearing aid and noise protection components. Prodways offers a wide range of 3D printers and materials for both plastic and ceramic 3D printing, and with access to that technology, Interson-Protac can upgrade its manufacturing techniques, making its devices more precise and better quality, with faster and less expensive production.

The acquisition is expected to be finalized within a month. Senior executives Remy Garrel and François Rey will retain their positions, as well as 25% of the company’s share capital. Intereson-Protac has 47 employees, and is expected to contribute at least €4 million to Prodways Group’s revenues in 2018.

The acquisition comes only a month after Prodways Group acquired AvenAo Industrie, and the company’s business dealings aren’t finished yet. Prodways has also announced partnerships with two new European distributors, which will both sell Prodways’ MOVINGLight and laser sintering 3D printing technologies to customers.

Namitech is a new company based in Osio Sotto, Italy, and brings a decade of experience in rapid manufacturing to the table. Like many new companies in the additive manufacturing field, Namitech wants to bridge the gap between prototyping and industrial production using 3D printing, and sees Prodways Group as an important step in that process.

“Namitech strongly believes that additive manufacturing is the present and the future of plastic and metal parts production; with this partnership, thanks to the high quality standards of Prodways equipment and Namitech experience, we can bring together innovation and technologies on the market,” said Namitech CTO Matteo Gelpi.

Prodways Group’s other new partner is TOP Metrology, which has offices in both Romania and Bulgaria. Established in 2011, TOP Metrology is a distributor for several major technology companies, and has formed collaborations with more than 500 companies across a wide range of industries.

“TOP Metrology is delighted to become part of the Prodways family and believes that, together, we can meet the expectations of both sides – and customers as well – in Romania and Bulgaria,” said Florin Pisica, General Manager of TOP Metrology. “The portfolio of premium brands represented by TOP Metrology will be now complete with the innovative technology of Prodways 3D printers.”

It’s been a busy week for Prodways Group, which went public on the Euronext exchange just this year. The company has over 30 resellers across four continents, and continues to expand through partnerships such as the ones announced this week. It’s been a busy summer for Prodways, in fact, with announcements such as the development of a new 3D printing technology and a collaboration with Nike. Prodways Group is a highly successful company, and appears determined to continue growing and spreading its technology across the world. Discuss in the Prodways Group forum at 3DPB.com.