AddUp Joining BeAM Subsidiary in Cincinnati for US Metal 3D Printing Headquarters

In the summer of 2018, AddUp, Inc., the US subsidiary of global metal 3D printer manufacturer AddUp, added Direct Energy Deposition (DED) to its portfolio with the acquisition of BeAM, a Strasbourg-based DED technology company with locations in Singapore and Ohio. Now, AddUp has announced that it is establishing headquarters for its North American operations in Blue Ash, which is where its BeAM subsidiary is located. Now that they will be sharing the same building, the two companies will form one operating unit, which will focus on providing metal 3D printing services to AddUp’s tooling, aerospace, defense, and medical customers in the US.

“The City of Blue Ash is excited to become the home for AddUp’s new North American HQ. We would like to thank AddUp for their vote of confidence in our city, as well as our partners REDI Cincinnati, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Development Services Agency for their support to make this project a reality,” said Neil Hensley, City of Blue Ash economic development director.

AddUp was established as a joint venture several years ago when industrial groups Fives and Michelin decided they wanted to set up a major global player in metal 3D printing. The company helps clients by using its expertise to set up and market industrial and production systems based on metal AM, and also offers training and consulting services. AddUp provides laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printing in addition to DED technology, and with its majority stake acquisition in French metal 3D printing provider Poly-Shape, the company has a lot to offer customers in the way of 3D printing methods, materials, and application platforms.

“We are excited to base our metal 3D printing operations in the Cincinnati area. There were a number of good locations from which to choose, but we selected southwest Ohio based on its strong manufacturing heritage, access to a talented workforce, proximity to industrial and government partners in metal 3D printing, and enthusiastic support provided by the State of Ohio,” said Dr. Ken Wright, the president of both AddUp, Inc. and BeAM Machines, Inc.

BeAM’s 20,000 square foot facility in Blue Ash, which is just 30 minutes north of the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, already has a metallurgical lab, post-process machining department, AM workspace, and an applications training facility. Several of BeAM’s Modulo 400 and Magic 800 DED 3D printers are there already, and five FormUp 350 LPBF systems from AddUp will be added as well, which should be available for print services by the end of next year. The building will also be used as a demonstration facility for the redesigned FormUp 350 and Modulo 400, which are the company’s flagship systems and feature “expanded capabilities that advance metal 3D printing to the next level of performance.”

AddUp will be moving all of its equipment from its current location in Greenville, South Carolina to its new Ohio headquarters at BeAM, as part of the effort to centralize operations in Blue Ash. The company plans to invest $12.5 million into the city over the next three years. thanks to a growing metal 3D printing market and investments in AddUp’s sales channels and product development from investors Michelin and Fives. AddUp has also pledged to create 25 new jobs through the hiring of professional and technical staff to operate its facility, as well as conduct process development research to continue advancing the productivity and performance of metal 3D printing.

“The additive manufacturing industry is expected to more than double in the next four years and the Cincinnati region is primed to play an important role, thanks to AddUp, Inc., and other innovators already doing business here. The partnership between JobsOhio, the City of Blue Ash and the Ohio Development Services Agency was key to helping us bring AddUp, Inc.’s growth to Blue Ash,” said Brandon Simmons, the Vice President of Project Management for REDI Cincinnati. “We are excited to collaborate with JobsOhio and other strategic partners to offer talent support to AddUp, Inc., assisting the company in developing a quality workforce.”

The city of Blue Ash is supporting AddUp’s project with a forgivable loan, and a Job Creation Tax Credit from the Ohio Development Services Agency, in addition to other JobsOhio incentives, will also support the company’s job growth and investment.

“AddUp’s decision to choose Ohio for its North American headquarters speaks to the talent, collaboration and manufacturing heritage unique to this state. Innovations from AddUp continue to advance additive manufacturing technology, and we are confident Ohio is well positioned be a world leader in this rapidly evolving space,” said J.P. Nauseef, the President and CEO of JobsOhio.