Formlabs, which makes professional 3D printers and produces basic materials for 3D printing alongside its related services, will open its new centre in Budapest with a focus on printer software development.
Through this R&D investment, which will create high added value jobs, the number of employees in the centre is planned to reach 100 within the next three years.
Formlabs Inc., which was founded in 2011 with its headquarters in Massachusetts, deals with the manufacturing of 3D printers as its main activity. Yet, company products also include items for technical, dental, artistic and everyday use. The rapidly growing company launched a community fund raising campaign in 2012. In the framework of this campaign, which has been one of the most successful of all times, a sum of around USD 3 million was raised for their first product, 3D printer Form 1, which has been followed by a series of other devices.
Formlabs machines are now used by companies such as Apple, Tesla, Gillette, Sony and Boeing. In addition, due to subsequent capital raising activities, the company’s market value today exceeds USD 1 billion. More than 500 colleagues are employed globally, and Formlabs has an annual revenue as high as USD 100 million.
Its stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing setup Form 2, which is market leader in its category, have been also manufactured from 2015 in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. Moreover, a 3D printing laboratory was opened, in cooperation with Formlabs experts, at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics. This collaboration is meant to promote various technological demonstrations, and the implementation of student projects, thesis work and traineeship programmes.
The company’s centre in Budapest will be the first software development office of its kind in Europe. In the forthcoming three years, colleagues at the office, whose number will grow to 100, will work on software solutions that enable and streamline 3D printing for everyday users too so that this modern technology becomes available to everyone.
