Chemicals and consumer goods giant Henkel (Düsseldorf / Germany; www.henkel.com) has opened a 3D printing hub at its Tallaght site, near Dublin / Ireland. The "Innovation and Interaction Center" (IIC) will become Henkel’s European regional hub for technology presentations, demonstrations, training, testing and customer service centre for 3D printing solutions.

The company said the centre would feature laboratories, customer service offices, meeting rooms and 3D printing facilities and is equipped with Carbon and HP printers in addition to specialised Henkel equipment, technology and devices. The centre will engage with customers from medical, automotive, consumer goods and manufacturing sectors, and is part of a new wave of regional innovation and customer operations which it plans to open.

Henkel plans to open two further regional centres for 3D printing. One in Rocky Hill, Connecticut / USA for North America and another one in Shanghai / China for Asia.

In 2017, Henkel, which employs around 53,000 people globally, reported turnover of EUR 20 bn and adjusted operating profit of EUR 3.5 bn.