Expansion, expansion, expansion… that’s all we seem to hear from many of the established companies within the 3D printing space. As the market grows, new companies enter, while the older ones seek to expand. The big boys within the industry certainly have been growing, expanding their facilities, and catering to an ever wider audience, as the general market begins tilting towards the mainstream. Both Stratasys and 3D Systems have opened their own new facilities over the last year, preparing for a wave of new business.
Smaller companies like that of Carlsbad California-based Forecast3D, are also expanding. The company which has been involved in various prototyping and short-run manufacturing lines of work for 20 years, looks to 3D printing as its continued driver of growth.
“We focus on quick-turn prototype work in both our additive manufacturing capabilities as well as our subtractive CNC milling,” added Donovan Weber, COO and co-founder of Forecast 3D. “Our customers appreciate that we keep our focus on prototype and short-runs as our niche, as well as our focus on craftsmanship and customer service. We are excited to continue to grow our operation organically.”
Today the company announced that they are opening a new 5,500 square foot facility. The new facility will be where their CNC machining department will relocate to, while the old facility where the CNC machines once were, will become the home for new equipment, particularly that of 3D printers.
“This expansion is going to allow us to focus on the growth of our manufacturing and quality processes in advance of our ISO 9001 certification in the first quarter of next year,” stated Larry Tinker, Forecast 3D’s general manager.
Forecast3D provides a variety of 3D printing services to research and development teams, inventors, designers, and engineers. Offering 3D printers based on Stereolithography (SLA), PolyJET, and Fused Deposition Modeling technologies, the company is able to cater to the needs of an ever expanding list of prototyping and small scale manufacturing jobs. With both CNC milling and additive manufacturing at their disposal, Forecast3D’s capabilities are quite impressive.
This new facility expands their total capacity from 37,000 square feet to 42,500 square feet, providing space for further future growth. Let us know your thoughts on this story in the Forecast3D forum thread on 3DPB.com.
