3D Hubs
A Prototyping machine shop inside the mHUB innovation centre.
3D Hubs has announced its North American headquarters will be located in Chicago’s mHUB innovation centre.
The service provider’s offices are set to open in June and will house a centralised workforce which is to double by the end of 2019.
Technology represents one of Chicago’s fastest-growing sectors, with an average of more than 300 digital start-ups being launched every year, and large brands like Google, Salesforce and Facebook having all expanded into the city in recent times. 3D Hubs will set up shop in mHUB’s 63,000 square foot innovation centre which was launched in 2016 to assist the acceleration of industry growth by fostering a network of local manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and university researchers. Since 2016, member companies of mHUB have generated a total of nearly $50m in revenue, raised more than $100m in funding, hired 780 employees, and launched around 640 products.
In the last few years, 3D Hubs has tallied up a similar productivity. It was launched in Amsterdam in 2013 and has gone on to ship more than two million 3D printed parts to a host of customers around the world. Since 2015, 27 of the Fortune 100 companies have ordered parts through 3D Hubs. Last month, the company announced it had raised $18m through a Series C funding round, which will be harnessed to enhance its quoting, design validation, and ordering processes, and facilitate this expansion to the US.
“Chicago has long been a central hub of American manufacturing and continues to lead the way in innovation,” commented Bram de Zwart, CEO and co-founder of 3D Hubs. “During our visit, we were impressed by the number of initiatives focused on advanced manufacturing automation. This hard-working, forward-looking city is the perfect place for 3D Hubs to grow our on-demand manufacturing platform. We’re excited to be a part of this supportive community and look forward to facilitating the growth of Chicago-based businesses as we work together to accelerate the future of manufacturing.”
“The manufacturing industry in this region is fiercely dedicated to innovation, which is why Chicago is leading the charge in the next industrial revolution,” offered Haven Allen, CEO and co-founder of mHUB. “3D Hubs is a dynamic addition to this ecosystem and we are looking forward to supporting their growth.”
“3D Hubs joins the long list of international companies choosing Chicago for their future,” added Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “With our growing tech economy and strong digital manufacturing community, Chicago is the perfect home for this innovative company. I look forward to seeing 3D Hubs’ success in Chicago in the years to come.”
