PARIC CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF MISSOURI PROTOPLEX

On Wednesday, April 15, PARIC joined faculty and students from Missouri University of Science and Technology, along with local leaders, community members and trade partners, to celebrate the grand opening of the Missouri Protoplex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located in Rolla, Missouri, the $60 million, 117,000-square-foot Protoplex serves as a statewide hub for advanced manufacturing, connecting academic researchers, workforce development initiatives and industry partners.

Designed to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia, the facility is organized by four core manufacturing disciplines: advanced manufacturing, aerospace production, advanced metallurgy and materials for extreme environments. The 40,000-square-foot first floor features a state-of-the-art high-bay manufacturing facility, housing SLM 500 Quad Laser Power Bed Fusion System, Robotic Wire Arc Hybrid Additive/Subtractive Cell and Bond Technologies GL7 Friction Stir Welding Machine. Additional areas include laboratory space, traditional and conference rooms. The second floor provides a viewing platform, classrooms, offices and further conference spaces.

The Missouri Protoplex stands as a key anchor for Missouri S&T’s growing manufacturing and innovation campus and will expand the region’s advanced manufacturing capacity.