—
Victoria Holt,
President and CEO, Protolabs“ We’re operating
at the cusp of
this industrial
revolution that’s
taking place”
you’re going to make that part. We’ve
automated that process with software,
which is what makes us so unique.”
One of Protolabs’ key differentiators
is the way in which it engages and
interacts with its customers. “We’re
100% e-commerce, which in a B2B
world is a little bit unusual, and very
unusual in the world of injection
molding and CNC machining,” Holt
explains. “Making sure we’ve got the
best e-commerce experience and can
service tens of thousands of industrial
customers efficiently with an awesome
experience is really important to us.”
The model has proved a success.
Today, from its eight facilities located
in five countries, Protolabs provides
CNC machining, injection molding,
sheet metal fabrication and 3D printing
services to industry-leading enterprises
worldwide. “We’re operating at the cusp
of this industrial revolution that’s taking
place,” says Holt. “We’re in a great
position to help other manufacturers
take a look at how they can take
advantage of information technology
and software in their manufacturing
processes.” Holt sat down to discuss
the strategies Protolabs is using to
create and maintain its competitive36
LEADERSHIPAUGUST 2019