Metal additive manufacturing company Velo3D has unveiled plans for a 288,747-square-foot production campus in Livermore, California, positioning the site as its future manufacturing hub. The project ranks among the largest metal 3D printing facility developments on the continent and is scheduled to come online before the end of 2026.
The firm will retain its current headquarters as the home of R&D, applications engineering, process development, prototyping, and qualification work, while Livermore absorbs production duties. The company frames the two-site model as an end-to-end pathway allowing customers to take a part from initial concept through qualification and into volume manufacturing without changing suppliers.
Inside the Numbers: Height as a Strategic Asset
Roughly 270,000 square feet of the campus is dedicated to manufacturing, with clear heights exceeding 36 feet, translating to almost 10 million cubic feet of usable volume, an area comparable to five football fields. That vertical clearance is deliberate: it leaves room to install today’s large-format printers while accommodating taller, more ambitious systems as the technology and customer requirements mature.
At opening, the building is engineered to house more than 40 large-format metal additive systems, with infrastructure prepared to exceed 100 machines within the next few years. Beyond printing, the site will handle machine assembly, in-house post-processing, and serial manufacturing of mission-critical parts. Once fully ramped alongside Fremont, the company expects to operate 125 machines across the two campuses, serving demand from aerospace, defense, and energy customers seeking domestic capacity.
“This expansion is a reflection of the increasing demand we are seeing from customers who want to move beyond prototyping and qualification into production,” said Arun Jeldi, Chief Executive Officer of Velo3D. “Our customers are looking for more than technology. They are looking for a trusted partner that can help them qualify applications, scale production, strengthen supply chains, and accelerate innovation. Fremont will continue serving as our center for engineering, process development, and qualification, while Livermore becomes a cornerstone of our production strategy. Together, these facilities create a powerful manufacturing ecosystem that helps customers move from concept to production faster while leveraging the technology, expertise, and solutions that make Velo3D unique.”
Lowering the Barrier to Adoption
The buildout reinforces Velo3D’s integrated offering, which pairs its printer technology with Rapid Production Solutions (RPS), engineering support, and a distributed manufacturing network structure meant to give customers access to production capacity without heavy upfront capital commitments.
“We believe additive manufacturing should be accessible, scalable, and production-ready,” said Michelle Sidwell, Chief Revenue Officer of Velo3D. “Customers are increasingly seeking flexible ways to adopt additive manufacturing without the burden of significant upfront investment or manufacturing risk. Through our technology, Rapid Production Solutions, engineering expertise, and distributed manufacturing network, we help customers move confidently from qualification into production while improving supply chain resilience and accelerating time to market.”
Local officials welcomed the arrival. “Velo3D is exactly the kind of company we want deeply rooted in Livermore’s economy. Their leadership in additive manufacturing and precision engineering fits naturally within Livermore’s advanced industry ecosystem, where proximity to key suppliers, partners, and talent creates real advantages for companies ready to scale. Just as important, their work reflects the spirit of innovation, problem-solving, and hands-on execution that has long defined our city. We are proud to partner with Velo3D as they add to the momentum shaping Livermore’s next chapter of advanced industry,” said Brandon Cardwell, Innovation & Economic Development Director for the City of Livermore.
Building Production-Scale Metal AM Capacity
Velo3D’s Livermore investment addresses a structural gap in the metal additive sector: the industry has spent years proving parts can be qualified, but physical capacity for serial production has lagged behind demand, particularly from aerospace and defense programs seeking domestic supply.
Velo3D’s move mirrors a wider capacity race. Just days before Velo3D’s announcement, digital manufacturing firm VulcanForms announced plans for a facility of up to one million square feet at its Devens, Massachusetts site, backed by $21.26 million in state tax credits and projected to add over 1,000 jobs across medical, aerospace and defense, industrial, and consumer goods sectors.
Defense demand is a common thread. Lockheed Martin opened a 16,000-square-foot additive facility in Texas equipped with large-format laser powder bed fusion systems, aiming to build a more robust and localized US industrial base.
The pattern suggests a shift in emphasis across the metal AM sector: from selling machines toward securing production capacity. Velo3D’s Livermore campus is one expression of that shift.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows aerial shot of Velo3D’s New Livermore, CA Facility. Photo via Velo3D.
