Industrial 3D printing specialist EOS expands U.S. presence with facility in Texas

EOS, a global provider of metal and plastic additive manufacturing (AM) technology headquartered in Krailling, Germany, held its ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 4 at its newest U.S. facility in Pflugerville, TX. The event precedes the celebration of the company’s 27th anniversary this summer. EOS is a pioneer in direct metal laser sintering (DMLS).

The primary function of the Pflugerville plant is to provide increased service and support for EOS’ growing North American market, which topped $100 million in fiscal year 2015. Among the site’s special offerings are an innovations laboratory (iLab), where EOS application engineers interact directly with customers; a working showroom containing the full range of the company’s AM, aka 3D printing, systems, and an AM Ventures division to help bring start-up ideas to reality.

“The opening of our Pflugerville facility helps us deliver even better and faster service and support to our regional customers,” said Glynn Fletcher, president of EOS North America Inc. “EOS has a company-wide goal of continually improving systems, materials and process solutions wherever we operate. Pflugerville’s location near Austin, one of the fastest growing technology hubs in the U.S., allows us to make connections with some of the most notable technology organizations and schools in the nation and enables a high-level, optimum response to our customers’ needs across multiple time-zones.”

EOS has experienced substantial global growth in recent years, particularly within the United States. “Our Pflugerville investment is a direct reflection of our ongoing success,” said EOS Ffounder and CEO, Dr. Hans J. Langer. “Additive manufacturing is rapidly becoming a more widely accepted solution to complex manufacturing requirements across a broad spectrum of industries. We recently sold our 2100th system worldwide. With almost three decades of dedication to AM technology development, our company is committed to upholding the highest quality standards in our field.”

In addition to the iLab and AM Ventures opportunities, the Pflugerville facility will have a working showroom containing all EOS systems. The showroom provides benchmarking and hands-on training for customers, as well as “AM Experience” tours. EOS will also provide regional system modifications, allowing it to customize systems or software in house for its customers. A service hotline and aftermarket ordering service will also be available, as well as serving as a distribution hub for consumables such as filters and materials.

EOS experts will be available at the facility for application consulting, working directly with potential and existing customers to determine if an application is conducive for AM, helping them identify their end-product goals.

EOS currently has more than 100 employees in North America, with 30 field service engineers. The Pflugerville facility is opening with approximately 30 employees, a number that is expected to double within the next two years. EOS Materials, also known as Advanced Laser Materials (ALM), dedicated to the production and blending of polymer powder for both EOS systems and other powder-based AM technologies, will remain in Temple, TX. The Novi, MI, site will remain an important regional technical center for EOS of North America Inc. Future plans to expand within the United States include the Boston and Northern California regions.