As part of a transferred reorganisation, custom prototypes and low-volume injection moulded parts producer Proto Labs (Maple Plain, Minnesota / USA; www.protolabs.com) on 1 October acquired insolvent German 3D specialist Alphaform (Feldkirchen; www.alphaform.de). Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition includes Alphaform subsidiaries Alphaform-Claho (Eschenlohe / Germany), Alphaform-RPI (Rusko / Finland) as well as Alphaform Ltd (Newburg / UK), but not the company’s MediMet Precision Casting or its Implants Technology (Stade-Wiepenkathen / Germany; www.medimet.de) businesses. The takeover allows Proto Labs to further expand its additive manufacturing in Europe, and follows the US group’s 2014 purchase of Fineline Prototyping.

Alphaform produces 3D-printed and injection moulded niche products in a small number, including for the automotive, machinery, plant and utility vehicle segments. Its clientele also extends to the aerospace, tooling and medical technology sectors.

Founded in 1999 as The ProtoMold Company, Proto Labs posted sales of USD 209.6m (about EUR 184.74m) in 2014. The company has three manufacturing sites in the US, and representative offices in Japan, the UK, France, Germany and Italy.