“Fast growth is key now,” agrees Joost van Abeelen, who is responsible for the company’s operations. “Our shareholders make this expansion possible, thanks to a new capital increase in the autumn.” The size of this round is not yet known but may be in the same order of magnitude as in 2017, when Luxexcel raised EUR 10 million. 

Luxexcel’s choice of Flanders for its headquarters was a strategic one. The firm received several million euros in support from Flanders’ PMV investment fund and was able to rent space at the Open Manufacturing Campus, a breeding ground for young companies in Turnhout. The OMC aims to be the hotspot for open innovation in the field of high-tech and life science manufacturing. Located about 40 kilometers from Eindhoven and close to Leuven and Antwerp as well, this was a prime location for the start-up.

Leuven is the center of 3D-printing technology in Belgium and Flanders. The oldest 3D-printing company, Materialise, has its roots there and now employs almost two thousand people worldwide. Proximity to Antwerp is also attractive because the area offers a highly skilled pool of chemists.