04-24-1989: Dr. Hans J. Langer and Dr. Hans Steinbichler founded EOS GmbH
It was the first German AM company
On April 24, 1989, Hans J. Langer—formerly of the German branch of General Scanning—together with Dr. Hans Steinbichler, established Electro Optical Systems (EOS). It was the first German company dedicated to rapid prototyping. Initially, it specialized in producing systems based on stereolithography, but by the second half of the 1990s, the company fully transitioned to laser PBF technologies (SLS and DMLS). Today, EOS is a global leader in the field of machines for additive manufacturing.
EOS’s first customer was BMW, which in 1990 purchased the STEREOS 400 stereolithography system, soon followed by an additional unit. At the time, the price of the machines was around 1 million Deutsche Marks.
That same year, Dr. Steinbichler sold his shares in EOS to Dr. Langer, who became the sole owner of the company (although between 1994 and 1997, the main shareholder was Carl Zeiss Jena). Dr. Steinbichler - one of the pioneers in the field of laser and optical metrology founded Steinbichler Optotechnik GmbH. Unfortunately he passed on April 7, 2005.
In the following years, EOS launched additional SLA systems, such as the STEREOS 600, and began international expansion by opening subsidiaries in France and Japan. Between mid-1991 and July 1993, EOS had shipped 15 STEREOS systems to sites in Europe and Japan. One of the customers—Hitachi Zosen Information Systems—began marketing the EOS system in Japan.
In 1994, the company introduced the EOSINT P 350, becoming the first European manufacturer of SLS machines. Later that same year, EOS launched the EOSINT M 160, the first commercial system for Direct Metal Laser Solidification (DMLS), and in 1995, the EOSINT S 350—the world’s first sand laser sintering system for sand cores and molds.
In 1997, the company made a strategic decision to focus exclusively on laser sintering technologies, discontinuing development in SLA. Simultaneously, EOS continued to evolve its DMLS technology, introducing the EOSINT M 270 in 2004—the first commercial DMLS system equipped with a fiber laser. Over the following years, the company developed both hardware and materials for 3D printing in metals and polymers, launching new systems such as the EOSINT M 280 and EOS M 290, and materials including EOS Titanium Ti64 and EOS CobaltChrome SP2.
In 2015, EOS established a consulting unit called Additive Minds, aimed at supporting customers in implementing 3D printing technologies. Meanwhile, Hans Langer began investing in various promising startups in the additive manufacturing space—among them, DyeMansion and 3YOURMIND.
In 2017, Dr. Adrian Keppler took over as CEO of EOS GmbH, while Langer became CEO & Chairman of EOS Group. In 2019, leadership of the company was passed to Marie Langer, Hans's daughter, who still holds the position today.
Source: www.eos.info
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