M&H invests low single-digit millions in Farsoon FS 721 and FS 191 metal LPBF systems for Ilz expansion

Austrian service provider M&H has commissioned two new Farsoon metal LPBF systems at its Ilz facility, investing a low single-digit million euro sum in machinery and infrastructure. The centerpiece is the Farsoon FS 721, an eight-laser large-format system with 650 mm build height, intended for production of larger components from high-performance materials such as Inconel nickel-based alloys. A second Farsoon FS 191 will serve as a development platform for testing new materials, parameters, and geometries before scaling to the production machine. Managing Director Patrick Herzig cited rocket programs, complex high-temperature components, and small-series high-tech applications as target use cases, and noted the company is considering strategic investors or venture capital to fund further growth.

This expansion reflects a broader pattern in metal AM service economics: as aerospace and energy qualification cycles mature, service bureaus that invest in both production-scale and development-stage capacity capture value across the qualification pipeline. M&H is positioning Ilz as Farsoon's European development site, a move that deepens the supplier-service provider relationship beyond machine sales into co-development of materials and process chains. The investment follows over ten million euros in prior expansions and eight additional printers in recent years, signaling that M&H sees sustained demand from aerospace, energy, medical, and industrial sectors where conventional manufacturing reaches limits. The dual-machine strategy — pairing a large-format production system with a dedicated development platform — directly addresses the common bottleneck of transferring lab-scale parameters to production without costly requalification cycles.

For buyers evaluating European metal AM service partners, M&H's continued investment in Farsoon equipment and its willingness to co-develop materials and parameters on-site means shorter lead times for qualification of new alloys and geometries. The company's openness to external capital suggests it aims to scale beyond its current facility constraints, which already exceed 1,000 square meters in a hall opened only in 2020. The practical takeaway is that M&H is building a repeatable factory model rather than an impressive demo cell, and its partnership with Farsoon gives it direct access to machine-level development that most European service bureaus lack.