Coming from Switzerland heading up North I stopped by at RENISHAW GmbH, located in Pliezhausen right on the outskirts of Stuttgart. Jan-Peter Derrer (Produkt- & Salesmanager Additive Manufacturing) welcomed me. Jan-Peter explained to me that RENISHAW GmbH has just moved into a further facility to integrate the Laser Bearbeitungs Zentrum GmbH (LBC) an AM service bureau acquired by RENISHAW GmbH in 2013. LBC’s core business is direct metal AM parts and predominantly tools for injection molding with conformal cooling. Now the company is fully integrated as a department within RENISHAW. LBC is producing parts as a service and also benchmark parts. Further RENISHAW GmbH has machines for overflow production from it’s customers. With about 120 staff the German devision of RENISHAW serves the traditional business of metrology solutions but I was told the Additive Manufacturing sector is growing fast. I was told that one of RENISHAWs top priorities is the customer service. Even if most R&D activity happens in the UK (Stone Gloucestershire) the German division is enhancing it’s capabilities by outfitting a brand new laser laboratory. After constant improvements on the AM250, resulting in thePlusPac™ upgrade everyone is waiting for the long shot, the Evo-Project. This new machine will focus on the requirements of industrial customers will most likely be unveiled at formnext expo in November 2015 in Frankfurt….it stays exciting.
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