Protolabs said it will introduce a new online customer platform and expand its use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in 2026 as part of a broader effort to simplify how engineers and buyers quote, design and order manufactured parts.
On its Q4 earnings call, CEO Suresh Krishna said the company plans to launch ProDesk in Q1 as the first step toward unifying what are now separate online experiences for factory production and network-fulfilled orders.
“Today, multiple factory and network storefronts create unnecessary friction,” Krishna said. “A more unified experience will simplify the customer journey.”
Krishna linked the ProDesk launch to a wider push to use Protolabs’ large computer-aided design dataset, automation tools and proprietary software to improve quoting, manufacturability feedback and job routing across its factories and partner network.
He said the company plans to deploy “smarter pricing and sourcing algorithms” and continue rolling out customer-facing digital tools through 2026.
Protolabs AI to support international operations
To support that work, Protolabs is establishing a global capability center in India to expand its engineering and digital operations. Krishna said Protolabs intends the center to accelerate the company’s “innovation agenda” and “AI agenda” and support global operations.
The company also reorganized its technology group under chief technology and AI Officer Mark Kermesch, moving product management into the technology organization to reduce internal silos and speed development.
At the same time, Protolabs said it is resetting its European operations after two years of declining revenue there. Krishna attributed the slowdown to macroeconomic conditions and what he called “internal complexity” that created friction for customers and employees. He said 2026 will be a year of operational restructuring and renewed focus in the region.
Protolabs Q4 revenue and demand
Protolabs reported Q4 revenue of $136.5 million, up 12.1% from the same period a year earlier. CNC machining revenue grew 25%, and the average amount each customer ordered increased 23.2%.
The company earned $6.0 million in the quarter, compared with a small loss in the fourth quarter of 2024.
For the full fiscal 2025, Protolabs reported revenue of $533.1 million, up 6.4% from 2024. CNC machining revenue increased 17.6% for the year, and the average amount each customer ordered rose 13.3%.
Krishna said growth is being fueled by demand from innovative-focused sectors including aerospace, defense, robotics, drones, satellites and data center infrastructure, where engineers rely on rapid prototyping and short production runs.
“We are the default go-to place for prototyping for innovation,” he said.
Updates to Protolabs quoting tools, software
Krishna said it intends for ProDesk to remove friction in how customers interact with Protolabs online. It also is the first step toward a more seamless digital experience for quoting, ordering, and collaboration.
The company also plans to release updates to its quoting tools and manufacturability software in 2026 as part of a steady cadence of digital enhancements.
Krishna described 2026 as “a year of transformation,” adding, “We are putting things in place. And we are getting organized.”
Alongside the digital changes, Protolabs is expanding its production capabilities. In January, its U.S. injection molding operation achieved ISO 13485 certification, allowing the company to pursue more medical device production programs. Protolabs said it is working with two medical device manufacturers in pilot programs that require traceability, validation and automated inspection.
Management said the company expects to reinvest operational savings into digital and operational improvements in 2026 rather than focus on near-term margin expansion.
Together, the initiatives signal that Protolabs is working to move beyond its roots in rapid prototyping and position itself as a digitally driven manufacturing platform that supports customers from design through production, with AI and software playing a larger role in how work is priced, routed and delivered.
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