MakerBot Doubles Production Capacity With New 170,000 Sq Foot Factory in Brooklyn

Many shareholders of Stratasys (SSYS) have been discouraged a bit lately by news coming from their subsidiary, MakerBot. Perhaps, it’s the recent layoffs that were announced back in April, or perhaps the issues experienced with the early versions of the Smart Extruders. Whatever it is though, one thing is for sure; CEO Jonathan Jaglom appears to be a breath of fresh air for the company, at least when it comes to making changes within, in order to help the company fit his vision of how the world’s top manufacturer of desktop 3D printers should operate.

Jaglom has been no slouch when it comes to running the company. He has taken initiative in order to run things his way, and only time will tell if that way is the “right way”. Today MakerBot seems to be taking a step in the right direction, as they inform 3DPrint.com that they have opened a new factory at Industry City in Brooklyn, NY.

“The opening of the new factory reinforces MakerBot’s commitment to manufacturing in Brooklyn and is an important step in preparing the company for growth in the 3D printing market,” Johan Broer, PR Manager for MakerBot tells 3DPrint.com this morning. “The new facility measures 170,000 square feet, which doubles production capacity compared to MakerBot’s previous Industry City factory. A new layout streamlines the production process to help MakerBot advance its lean manufacturing methods and dedicate an even larger space to product testing.”

One thing is for sure, Jonathan Jaglom envisions his company’s production and sale of 3D printers to increase in the future, and that can only be a good thing for shareholders who have recently been discouraged.

This morning at 10:00 AM ET, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place to inaugurate the opening of the new factory. Jaglom, was on hand, along with Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams; Dean of the School of Science and Engineering at SUNY New Paltz, Dan Freedman; Brooklyn Technical High School Principal, Randy Asher; Tech Alumni Foundation Chief Education Officer, Matt Mandery, and many others.

“Since MakerBot was founded in 2009, we have been leading the desktop 3D printing revolution from Brooklyn and this has spearheaded a renaissance of manufacturing here,” said Jonathan Jaglom. “Brooklyn has defined what MakerBot is today and I couldn’t think of a better place for our new factory. The new MakerBot factory is a state-of-the-art facility with a focus on lean manufacturing and efficiency, making it one of the most advanced factories in New York City and in the global 3D printing industry. Close proximity to our R&D teams and corporate headquarters is a huge advantage as it allows us to adapt quickly to changes in the growing market of 3D printing.”

To think back, it was just six years ago that MakerBot opened their first factory in Brooklyn. Located on Dean Street, it became a breeding ground for new ideas and innovations within the desktop 3D printing space. Led by visionary and marketing guru Bre Pettis, the company rapidly grew to become the leading manufacturer of desktop 3D printers.

The new factory looks to solve several issues that were experienced at the previous facility and its predecessors. This 170,000 sq. foot building will enable the company to streamline the manufacturing of their products by bringing the various functions in the manufacturing process closer together. These include materials, product testing, production, and shipping, while also allowing the company to continue making the manufacturing process more efficient and less wasteful.

“The future has arrived, and its first stop is Brooklyn. We are witnessing the growth and evolution of 3D printing technology in our borough, a rapidly growing industry with infinite potential,” explained Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “MakerBot is bound to thrive in their new expanded factory at Industry City, innovating solutions to everyday real-world challenges in the marketplace while inspiring new opportunities for economic and technological development. I thank MakerBot and their development team for calling Brooklyn, the new Silicon Valley, their home.”

MakerBot cites a recent industry research report by Canalys as one of the motivating factors for the move. Canalys forecasts that 3D printing revenues will grow to more than $20 billion worldwide by the start of 2020.

The current MakerBot factory employs 140 individuals which include staff who are involved in shipping, receiving, quality engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, engineering, and production. It should be interesting to see if the company begins increasing its workforce in the coming months to amp up for what may be an increase in production in the near future.

What do you think about this move from MakerBot? Is this a signal that the company will be seeing an increase in sales? Discuss in the MakerBot Opens New Factory forum thread on 3DPB.com.