01-30-2018: EOS opened a new 3D printer factory in Maisach-Gerlinden
The facility was capable of producing 1,000 systems per year
On January 30, 2018, EOS announced a significant expansion of its production capabilities with the opening of a new factory in Maisach-Gerlinden, near Munich. The new 9,000-square-meter facility allowed EOS to substantially increase its annual production in response to the growing demand for its advanced solutions. The company also highlighted that by that time, it had sold around 3,000 systems worldwide.
Founded in 1989 by Dr. Hans J. Langer, EOS quickly became a leader in SLS (polymers) and DMLS (metal) machines. The company gained a strong reputation for its innovative solutions, which enabled the production of highly complex and precise components. During its first ten years of operation, EOS delivered approximately 1,000 3D printing systems to the global market. However, in the following years, particularly after 2016, this number grew rapidly, reaching a total of 3,000 installed systems worldwide by 2018.
The new facility in Maisach-Gerlinden was intended not only to scale up production but also to provide flexibility in response to the dynamically changing market needs. From a technological perspective, the expansion decision was closely linked to the growing importance of 3D printing in the industry. Additive manufacturing technologies, such as those offered by EOS, became a key element of the digital transformation leading to the emergence of so-called “factories of the future.”
At the new facility, customers had the opportunity to participate in system acceptance tests before delivery. This practice, known as Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), allowed customers to verify machine performance under conditions similar to real-world operations. Additionally, EOS enabled testing on specific components that customers planned to produce in the future, increasing trust in the company’s technology.
Although press materials at the time stated that the Maisach-Gerlinden facility would produce 1,000 3D printers per year, this figure already seemed highly exaggerated. The following years only confirmed this, as the company recently celebrated the installation of its 5,000th 3D printer.
This means EOS has sold and installed 2,000 machines over the past seven years. Whether this is a high or low number can be assessed using the latest VoxelMatters report on the metal 3D printing market, which I had the pleasure of co-authoring.
Source: www.3dprint.com