As global demand for top-quality 3D-printed industrial parts continues to grow, California-based Velo3D, Inc., a leader in advanced additive manufacturing (AM) for high-value metal parts, has announced the appointment of two new Europe-based senior executives.

Managing Director, Dr. Jose Greses, will be based between Germany and Spain while Sales Director, Xavier Fruh, will be located in France. They join Jon Porter, who was appointed earlier this year as European Business Development Director based in the U.K.

Dr. Greses holds a Ph.D. in laser welding from the University of Cambridge (U.K.) and a M.Sc. in Marine Technology from Cranfield University (U.K.). He has worked for a number of leading European manufacturing companies in laser welding and 3D-printing—most recently with GF Machining Solutions and, prior to that, for 14 years with German AM company EOS. 

"Our goal is to help industries solve their engineering challenges by delivering unprecedented design freedom, part repeatability and quality in metal 3D printing," says Dr. Greses. "We're here to provide the European markets with a seamless transition to Velo3D's end-to-end manufacturing solution including its advanced support-free technology." 

Xavier Fruh has a Master's degree in electrical engineering from ESIGELEC Rouen and an M.B.A. from the Strasbourg School of Management, both in France. He has years of experience in the welding industry and most recently did business development around Europe for four years with AddUp, a French group specializing in AM technology.

"I am passionate about innovation and technology," Fruh says. "I'm keen to support our customers in overcoming the limits of traditional manufacturing and to help them take advantage of everything that AM, the next generation of manufacturing engineering, has to offer." 

Benny Buller, founder and CEO of Velo3D, views his company's European growth as a sign of greater awareness of the production metrics delivered by advanced 3D-printing systems. "Expanding our footprint in Europe comes in response to new demand for the very highest-achievable levels of metal AM quality that only Velo3D provides--as well as design freedom that can unleash innovation and improve competitiveness for industries such as aerospace, oil and gas, and alternative energy," he says. 

In March, Velo3D announced plans to merge with JAWS Spitfire Acquisition Corporation and become a public company.