Immigrate to Spain focus on Spanish immigration economy: HP has long been making active preparations to enter the 3D printing sector, and recently, this American technology giant took another step toward its goal. Just last Friday, they officially announced that they have joined forces with their world headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, to open a brand-new R&D center in León. This center will drive innovation in 3D and even 4D printing technologies to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
As is well known, after November 1st of this year, HP was split into two new companies: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and HP Inc. (HP), and 3D printing will become one of the key businesses for the new HP. Last November, the Spanish government also allocated 21.25 million euros to support HP in establishing a global R&D headquarters in Sant Cugat del Vallès, near Barcelona, specifically for the research and development of 3D printing technology.
The purpose of opening the León R&D center this time is clear: to expand HP's influence in global 3D printing solutions, especially in the emerging 4D printing field—creating microfluidic materials to develop 3D printed objects with conductive properties.
R&D Center Manager Miguel Angel Turrado stated that the establishment of this facility will allow León to write the first page of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He also emphasized that HP's presence has already turned the city into an ICT hub in Spain and attracted many talented engineers. The company currently has 300 technical employees and plans to recruit another 20-30 new employees annually over the next 2 years.
In fact, over the past few years, HP has laid much groundwork for entering 3D printing, such as developing its first 3D printer based on its patented Multi Jet Fusion technology, which will be officially launched in 2016, seeking partners throughout the industry, connecting itself with Autodesk and Shapeways, and joining the 3MF Consortium initiated by Microsoft. Therefore, it is clear that the primary purpose of opening the León R&D center is to further expand its influence in 3D printing, and even the more fascinating 4D printing field.