It’s a new year and a fresh look for ProtoLabs Inc., as the digital manufacturing company is beginning 2025 with realigned business processes and related initiatives to give customers better and more comprehensive placing, building, and processing of online orders.
Protolabs provides digital manufacturing services, including 3D printing, injection molding, CNC machining and sheet metal fabrication. Its customers use its services for work ranging from product prototyping to production.
“It’s a deeper partnership with our customers — product developers, engineers, buyers, procurement teams — to ensure full production support from start to finish,” says Protolabs’ CEO Rob Bodor.
New changes at Protolabs in 2025
- Expanded customer support. Customers now have access to production experts for complete programming. This includes assistance with quoting, file uploads, and managing complex bills of materials (BoMs).
- Enhanced production services. Logistics specialists will help with better fulfillment, and applications engineers will help optimize CAD models to reduce costs.
- Focused industry certifications. The company is addressing critical production certifications while maintaining its low-volume, quick-turn prototyping capabilities.
To support these changes, Protolabs has reorganized its business structure. Regional teams will prioritize customer engagement, while a global operations organization will manage better and faster fulfillment.
“We’ve realigned our operations to deliver a more unified prototyping-to-production experience,” Bodor says.
Despite these shifts, Protolabs remains committed to its speed and automation.
“Rapid prototyping driven by automation and technology will always be at the heart of Protolabs,” says strategic growth officer Luca Mazzei. “Our expansion into full-service production reflects our commitment to evolving alongside our customers’ needs.”
Highlights of Protolabs’ expanded services
- High-volume manufacturing. Offering lower piece-part pricing across services.
- Advanced capabilities. High-requirement molding, verification processes for industries like medical devices, and advanced materials for aerospace applications.
- Integrated quality and efficiency. Combining speed, automation, cost control, and advanced manufacturing.
“Our customers have been asking for a more comprehensive solution,” Mazzei said. “By integrating speed, automation, and quality control, we are delivering a unique offering from prototyping to production.”
Protolabs reported mixed results for the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30. Protolabs sales reached $126.1 million, down 3.9% from $130.7 million in the same quarter of 2023. Net income was $7.2 million, compared to $8.0 million the previous year.
In August, Protolabs restructured its sales operations to serve customers more holistically worldwide through its factory-owned and network digital manufacturing capabilities, according to Bodor. The goal of the reorganization is to increase customer order volumes for both prototypes and production parts, driving up revenue per customer, the company says.
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