Caracol acquires Hans Weber’s additive manufacturing assets

Pictured from left to right: Francesco De Stefano, CEO of Caracol; Ludwig Weber, managing director at Weber; Dr. Markus Weber, managing director at Weber; and Paolo Cassis, COO of Caracol. Source | Caracol

Global large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) company Caracol (Milano, Italy and Austin, Texas, U.S.) has acquired the IP and robotic machine configuration assets from the additive division of Hans Weber Maschinenfabrik GmbH (Kronach), a German extrusion technology company with more than 100 years of expertise in industrial machinery.

This strategic acquisition serves two main purposes for Caracol: first, to integrate Weber’s additive technology into its product portfolio, creating a highly comprehensive LFAM ecosystem for the market, and addressing a wide range of international customer needs. Second, it reinforces Caracol’s commitment to accelerating the global adoption and industrialization of LFAM technologies across diverse manufacturing sectors, expanding Caracol’s reach in the DACH region.

Customers and partners looking to work with Weber’s additive solutions can expect Caracol’s full commitment to continued support and development, gaining access to Caracol’s global field and service network that spans over 55 countries. Backed by Caracol’s holistic approach and deep application expertise, all products will benefit from the same quality service and after-sales support the company is known for, helping businesses scale their production operations with LFAM. Weber will remain a key partner for the development of its extrusion technology and support product development on Caracol’s extended portfolio.

“This agreement combines heritage with innovation, by two companies united by shared values: progressiveness, engineering excellence and a customer-centric mindset,” says Francesco De Stefano, CEO and co-founder of Caracol. “It allows us to strengthen the technological roadmap of two technologies, ensuring each can best fit specific customer’s industrial needs. On the one hand, Caracol’s expertise of the full turnkey technological ecosystem, process and deep vertical application know-how. On the other, Weber’s core expertise on extrusion and machinery manufacturing.”

De Stefano notes that Caracol clients will be able to access Heron platforms with a broader level of customization and configurations to satisfy their specific industrial needs. “This also means additional options when it comes to automation — such as Siemens control or ABB robots,” he says.