With the endorsement of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are excited to announce our decision to locate our new North American HQ in Chicago, the central hub of American manufacturing with a thriving tech and innovation ecosystem. Our new offices will open in June at mHUB to house our fast-growing US team.
Our new North American HQ
The US has become Protolabs Network's fastest-growing market, with North American revenue tripling over the past year. We are currently serving over 15,000 US businesses, including 27% of Fortune 100 companies, from all sectors including automotive, aerospace and medical.
Our new North American Headquarters will allow us to provide better support and faster service to our US customers. After receiving $18M in new funding earlier this year, we are now going to double the size of our US team, with a focus on expanding our sales, customer service and engineering teams.
From Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel:
"Protolabs Network joins the long list of international companies choosing Chicago for their future. With our growing tech economy and strong digital manufacturing community, Chicago is the perfect home for this innovative company. I look forward to seeing Protolabs Network success in Chicago in the years to come."
Chicago: the city of manufacturing automation
We evaluated many different locations before taking the final decision, and Chicago easily topped the list.
Chicago has a vast manufacturing heritage and the city is investing heavily in manufacturing automation. Its location in the Midwest is also ideal: Midwest boasts the highest density of manufacturing facilities and CNC machine shops in the whole of the US.
Andrea Zopp, president and CEO of World Business Chicago, who worked closely with the Protolabs Network team to ensure the success of this project, mentioned:
"Protolabs Network's decision to locate their North American headquarters in Chicago speaks to the city's status as a global tech hub and a leader in manufacturing. Our thriving tech ecosystem continues to attract top companies and talent from around the world."
Bram de Zwart, CEO and co-founder of Protolabs Network also commented:
"Chicago has long been a central hub of American manufacturing and continues to lead the way in innovation. 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 Protolabs Network 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."
mHUB & Protolabs Network: the start of a great partnership
The Protolabs Network North American Headquarters will be located in mHUB's 63,000 square foot innovation center. Launched in 2016, mHUB is the largest and fastest-growing innovation center for physical product development and manufacturing in the US. Its mission is to accelerate industry growth by cultivating a community of collaboration and connectivity between innovators, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers.
Haven Allen, CEO and co-founder of mHUB, said:
"The manufacturing industry in this region is fiercely dedicated to innovation, which is why Chicago is leading the charge in the next industrial revolution. Protolabs Network is a dynamic addition to this ecosystem, and we are looking forward to supporting their growth."
Filemon Schoffer, CCO and co-founder of Protolabs Network, commented on this decision:
"During our visits to the US, it became clear that Chicago is set to be the center of innovation for digital manufacturing, with strategic initiatives such as MxD and mHUB. Protolabs Network can help accelerate this transition to digital manufacturing, bringing new business to local factories. So our decision to base ourselves in Chicago was a relatively easy one and we are looking forward to working together with the local community."
Learn more about the Protolabs Network platform here.
P.S. If you want to be part of our journey to revolutionize the manufacturing industry, head to our jobs page.
