The lines between Prusa Research and Printed Solid are blurring with today’s announcement that printers and filament will be manufactured at a Delaware facility. “Our goal is to become the largest 3D printer and filament manufacturer in the U.S. within a year,” says Josef Prusa, CEO of Prusa Research.
When Prusa Research acquired Printed Solid in 2022.it was obvious that the European 3D printing giant wanted better access to the American market. Although printers like the Prusa MK3 (and later the premium class) were hugely popular with American consumers, MK4, one of the best 3D printers) could only be purchased directly from the Czech factory — out of reach for many educational and government institutions that are required to buy American-made products. Making Delaware-based Printed Solid the exclusive U.S. retailer gave consumers hope for easier, cheaper access to their favorite 3D printer brand.
That’s not quite how it turned out for the average American, whose sales were confined to enormous corporate buyers, government agencies, and schools. Top-of-the-line Prusament filament became available in the United States, but at a higher price than buying directly from the Prague factory. We were unable to confirm pricing for U.S. Prusament at the time of publication, but we’ll update this article as soon as we have pricing information.
Prusa Research employs almost 1,000 people in Prague to design and manufacture machines. Printed Solid currently employs about 30 people and plans to hire more as it expands its operations to include printer assembly.
Prusa Research said in a press release that its American counterparts will assemble the Prusa MK4 and produce Prusament filament, which will require an upgrade to their filament line. Printed Solid will also raise its repair facilities so that U.S. customers can get faster support and service.
Josef Prusa said he believes in local manufacturing and is committed to supporting local economies by keeping production in-house. “Our approach is based on transparency and trust: our software is open-source and fully auditable, and now our production facilities are open for visits.”
David Randolph, CEO of Printed Solid, added that he is excited that Prusa products will become more accessible and affordable for customers in the U.S. “We are proud to be expanding our workforce and providing more job opportunities for Americans. By expanding our manufacturing capabilities here in Newark, Delaware, we are not only providing our customers with high-quality Prusa products, but we are also contributing to the local economy and supporting American workers.”
