Malmö, Sweden — Contract manufacturer Rosti Group will open an innovation lab in Boston to 3D print prototypes as it prepares to offer customers a 72-hour concept-to-reality proposition.
Founded in 1944, the injection molding company, which has eight manufacturing plants in Europe and Asia serving the medical, packaging and consumer goods industries, is looking to expand its U.S. client base.
When it opens in the second quarter, the Boston lab will be connected to Rosti labs overseas to provide around-the-clock development capabilities for time-sensitive projects, according to Karl Stillman, vice president of sales.
"With innovation labs on the three time zones of America, Europe and Asia, the Rosti Group will be the plastics molding company which never sleeps," Stillman said in a news release.
In addition to its headquarters office, Rosti has an injection molding facility in Gislaved, Sweden, and other plants in Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania, Poland, Turkey, China and Malaysia.
The company says it employs about 3,200 people and has some of the world's leading manufacturers in the packaging, consumer appliances, business machines and medical sectors as customers.
For one U.S. customer, a molecular diagnostics company, Rosti Group said its innovation labs helped launch production of a COVID-19 saliva test.
Recent advances in 3D printing and other additive manufacturing technologies have reduced development time for custom tooling, prompting Rosti Group to commit to a 72-hour concept-to-reality time frame.
The company says the clock will start ticking as soon as the Rosti innovation lab receives a computer-aided design plan from the customer. A team of engineers will get to work, first analyzing the design.
"We will be able to talk with our clients in person and to reduce time to market by working around the clock," Stillman said. "Opening an American operation will bring us closer to our customers and bring 3D prototyping to American customers quickly and cost-effectively."
Rosti Group will hire full-time staff in the U.S. to provide access to prototyping in 72 hours.
For more information, www.rosti.com.