Caracol Expands Large-Format Additive Manufacturing Production in the US

Caracol has set up further production in the United States. Following in the footsteps of SLM Solutions and others, the large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) company has opened another AM site in the US. The 10,000 square-foot production facility is located in Austin, Texas, and will also contain the Italian firm’s US headquarters.

Caracol CEO Francesco De Stefano said,

“This new facility will allow us to accelerate innovation and deliver solutions tailored specifically for the North American market, where demand is growing rapidly. When we opened our first Austin office in 2023, it was about establishing a presence, now it’s about building capability. This expansion means faster progress, closer collaboration with our customers, and solutions designed for their unique challenges – not to mention supporting domestic production in the U.S. As one of Europe’s fastest-growing deep tech companies, we’re excited to bring that same momentum to North America.”

The company says that it has seen “224% growth in systems delivered in the past 12 months,” and hopes that the expansion in the US “strengthens Caracol’s long-term commitment to North America’s manufacturing industry, enabling faster delivery, tailored solutions, and deeper collaboration with local customers. With a local supply chain, shorter lead times, direct technical support and co-development opportunities.”

The company also wants to do some R&D in the States. The new site is for both the company’s metal and polymer large-format capabilities and will be ISO 9001, EN 9100, and ISO 14001 compliant. Since 2017, Caracol has sensibly been building large-format capability in Italy with a staff of 100. I say “sensibly” because the company has adapted to market conditions and opportunities. It veered more towards being a service, or towards being an OEM, when there was demand for either, and moved into metal with the Vipra AM printer, which uses a lot of the same controls as its flagship Heron AM but is a whole different ballgame. Caracol has deep experience in making end use parts alone and with partners, and also developed its own Eidos Manufacturing software.

The company’s further expansion in the US is also sensible. A lot of promising applications in DED and large-format polymer are very specific. Specific materials, competences, and capabilities often govern whether a machine is successful or not. There is a huge difference in capabilities between a production unit for chairs and one for aerospace tooling. Of course, a lot of the software and the motion control needs to be similar, but the entire production solution is often very specific to one workflow or firm. Being so close to oil and gas companies in Texas means that the firm can really focus on their needs. The US boating and boat building industry will also be a specific but exciting target. And of course, by making products in the US, the DoD world opens up to Caracol. There in MRO, on-site production, exigent manufacturing, and work for large defense contractors, the company could find a wealth of opportunities. The large-format industry has a lot of promising applications, and they’re often super specific to one firm or niche. Outdoor advertising, molds for boat hulls, boat hulls themselves, furniture for boats, drone fuselages, aerospace tooling, custom vehicles, and automotive applications more generally all require unique approaches. Yes, you could build one machine that works most of the time and it may be cheaper. But, by carefully working with clients with an aim at long-term opportunities, you could establish relationships and build business denied to others. Caracol means “snail” in Italian, and a snail may be slow, but it is definitely steadfast, and this seems to be paying off handsomely for the LFAM company.