At the end of the year, German plastics processing group Röchling (Mannheim; www.roechling.de) plans to move its local additive manufacturing activities – the Direct Manufacturing Center (RDMC) – from Waldachtal to Burgrieden, Germany, the location of its new site of Röchling Laupheim Industrial division. This goes hand-in-hand with a complete integration of the RDMC into the Industrial division. The company did not comment on the number of employees affected by the relocation or whether job cuts are planned.

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All facilities and production of the RDMC are to be relocated as well, according to Axel Höfter, general manager of corporate R&D at Röchling.

The industrial division, headed by Franz Lübbers, makes plastic products for industrial applications. The company said it intends to expand its focus on the international healthcare industry at its new location: “Our aim is to be the top healthcare development partner in Germany and Europe for developing components made of high-performance thermoplastics,” said Peter Eckerstorfer, director, Machined Components Europe at Röchling Industrial.

The Röchling group of companies employs more than 11,200 and last reported sales of around EUR 2.2 bn.