Siemens has unveiled plans to make a £27m investment in a state-of-the-art 3D printing factory in the West Midlands.
The new Worcester facility, set to open in September 2018, is being constructed for Materials Solutions Ltd and will allow the company to increase its fleet of 3D printing machines from 15 to 50 over the next five years.
The new factory will be powered by Siemens Digital Enterprise technologies solutions, an end-to-end portfolio comprising software-based systems and automation components.
Siemens, which acquired an 85 per cent stake in Materials Solutions in 2016, said the facility will also help to create 55 new jobs.
“This significant investment underlines our belief that there is huge potential for innovation and growth within the Additive Manufacturing sector,” said Juergen Maier, CEO of Siemens UK.
“It is also the next step towards achieving our ambition of pioneering the industrialisation of 3D printing and demonstrates how we are leading the way for the fourth industrial revolution.”
He added: “If the UK’s manufacturing sector is to grow and thrive, we must embrace digital technologies and build new industries based on them. Our vision and ambition for Materials Solutions perfectly represents how we are putting this strategy into practice.”
Phil Hatherley, general manager of Materials Solutions, added: “Our Worcester-based team are specialists in using Additive Manufacturing technology to solve complex engineering challenges for our customers across a range of sectors including aerospace, automotive and power generation.
“Our new facility will give us the space and scope to continue to innovate for these specialist and demanding industries and achieve a shift in the perception of 3D printing from being a technology associated with prototyping to a viable option for the serial production of additively manufactured parts.”
Founded in 2006, Materials Solutions is a pioneer in the use of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology for the manufacture of high-performance metal parts, with a focus on high-temperature super alloys.
As a result, it has developed proven applications, know-how and a supply chain for some of the world’s most advanced engineering companies operating in a broad range of industries.
The location for the new facility will be the Worcester Six Business Park Development.