Oerlikon AM expansion N Carolina
Oerlikon expects the demand for additively manufactured metal components to increase rapidly in the coming years, cementing its status as a key growth area in next-gen manufacturing technologies.
Swiss manufacturing company, Oerlikon is expanding its global additive manufacturing sector with a new 3D printing facility for advanced components in the Charlotte metro area in North Carolina.
The new state-of-the-art work space will cater for production processes, and research and development. Oerlikon will invest around CHF 55 million in the facility over the next two years, and projects the creation of more than 100 new jobs at this site in the long-term.
Seeing additive manufacturing as a key industry, the company aims to become a global powerhouse in surface solutions and advanced materials. The group has identified additional growth areas, including AM, which leverages its strong materials heritage, service reputation, access to markets, applications across industries and core competence in intelligently engineering and processing advanced materials and surface technologies.
The Swiss manufacturer expects the demand for additively manufactured metal components to increase rapidly in the coming years, cementing its status as a key growth area in next-gen manufacturing technologies. Becoming increasingly suitable for the series production of advanced parts, additive manufacturing allows for more freedom in design, the ability to customise products, and boasts significant efficiency with regards to the use of materials.
“Innovation is a strategic driver of growth at Oerlikon,” said Dr Roland Fischer, CEO of Oerlikon. “We consistently work at strengthening our innovation power and staying at the forefront in developing new technologies in our fields. As we strategically transform to become a powerhouse in surface solutions and advanced materials, we are investing in high growth potential businesses such as additive manufacturing.
“Charlotte is an important step in our plans to grow our additive manufacturing business and our investment in key technology areas. The investment underlines our intention to become a leading independent global partner in the industrialisation of additive manufacturing. I would like to thank our economic development partners in North Carolina and the Charlotte region for their support in our investment.”
This commitment to advancing Oerlikon’s additive manufacturing business, follows the acquisition of citim late last year. The addition of a new site in Charlotte brings Oerlikon’s AM network to four locations in the US and Europe. Its facility in Charlotte will complement citim’s existing sites in Barleben, Germany and Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and the new production facility for advanced metal powders for additive manufacturing and advanced coatings in Plymouth Township, Michigan, USA.
Charlotte is home to a rapidly growing number of global industrial, aerospace and automotive firms. The new site will offer US industrial customers a single source for a full suite of integrated services for end-to-end advanced component manufacturing, from R&D, design and series production, to post processing. While the facility will not be fully operational until 2018, Oerlikon will become active in the region later this year, working from an interim location.
