A Tees Valley firm which specialises in building cutting edge prototypes for Formula 1, aviation and the nuclear industry has been visited by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.
Darlington’s Paragon Rapid Technologies has invested more than £1.5million over the past 18 months, resulting in a partnership with Silicon Valley based 3D printing expert Carbon.
Carbon has produced ground-breaking technology called Digital Light Synthesis (DLS), which has provided real advances in the sector, creating an ever increasing range of engineering-grade materials to rival injection moulding. Early adopters of the technology include Adidas, BMW and the Dental industry.
Paragon’s commitment to innovation and investment has seen it acquire three DLS machines, solidifying its position at the forefront of the 3D printing industry. It is also the only company in the world with three laser-based Neo 800 machines, costing a total of almost £1million.
This capacity and build quality has attracted some of the UK’s leading manufacturers, with Paragon regularly building prototypes for the likes of Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, National Cash Registers, Tata, Black & Decker and JCB.
Next year, Paragon aims to move into a purpose-built facility, currently under construction, and plans to increase capacity to physically manufacture finished products to meet demand.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen “What another fantastic example of advanced and process technologies in the Tees Valley being market leaders, helping to put this region on the map. Paragon is a success story for all of the innovators, entrepreneurs and job creators of today.
“It was great to hear that the team’s hard work and expertise has paid off, with exciting plans for growth in our area. I look forward to hearing about their future achievements.”
Phil Adamson, Paragon Managing Director, said: “We’ve invested heavily in state-of-the-art equipment and the talent to match over the past two years, with a loyal and growing customer base.
“We know there’s no slowing down and that’s why we have major plans to expand our business, get bigger and better, and keep our area at the forefront of this technology.”