WILMINGTON, NC - February 26, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Protocase and its subsidiary 45Drives are ahead of schedule in expanding their U.S. manufacturing footprint, announcing today the launch of production at their newly secured 12,000-square-foot facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. The facility, located at 4270 US Highway 421, will initially focus on sub-assembly for 45Drives, with plans to scale up to full production for both companies within the next year. 

This milestone marks a significant acceleration in Protocase and 45Drives’ U.S. expansion strategy, which initially projected manufacturing as a later phase of the company’s presence in Wilmington. 

The facility will operate through an integrated workflow between Protocase’s well-established headquarters in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and its Wilmington site. Initially, boards and components will be brought together from existing supply chain, including metal from Sydney, and shipped to Wilmington for assembly and testing. The facility will begin assembling large, complex 45Drives Storinator and Storinator Hybrid servers in mid-March, eventually transitioning to full production for all U.S. customers and 45Drives servers, including the new ultra-performance Stornado F16. As time progresses, items such as circuit boards and metal components will be produced in Wilmington as well.

“Our goal has always been to bring high-value, high-density manufacturing to Wilmington to satisfy the appetite for made-in-USA computing systems, and we’re excited to be ahead of schedule in doing so,” said Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives. “These servers are just the beginning—we have big plans for expanding our U.S. production capabilities, and this facility will be a cornerstone of that growth.”

“The rapid progress of our Wilmington expansion speaks to the strength of our team and the demand for our solutions,” said Steve Lilley, President of Protocase. “This facility represents our commitment to serving U.S. customers more efficiently while continuing to innovate in precision manufacturing and data infrastructure.”

With a strong emphasis on employee density per square foot, the Wilmington facility is designed to support high-efficiency production and job creation in the region. As Protocase and 45Drives continue to grow, additional roles will be created to support increasing operational capacity.

For more information on Protocase and 45Drives, visit www.protocase.com and www.45drives.com.

About Protocase

Protocase Inc. is a leading innovator in the rapid manufacturing and prototyping industries, specializing in the production of custom electronic enclosures and precision metal components for sectors including aerospace and defense. Founded in 2001, Protocase has been at the forefront of providing cutting-edge solutions for a diverse range of industries, including science, engineering, and technology. As pioneers of High Velocity Mass Customization (HVMC), the company's unique manufacturing process is fast, flexible, and easy, offering precision sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, and 3D printing services under one roof. With a clientele spanning more than 18,000 clients worldwide, including renowned organizations such as NASA, Stellantis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tesla, and Amazon Web Services, Protocase continues to set the standard for excellence in the manufacturing sector. Protocase is the parent company of 45Drives, a leading open-source data storage company, and to ProtoSpace Mfg., and Protomentum.

About 45Drives
45Drives is an organization parented by Protocase and Protospace MFG, innovators in manufacturing for technology and aerospace, built on unique competencies in High Velocity Mass Customization (HVMC). 45Drives has used this heritage to build full enterprise storage and virtualization solutions that are equal or better than legacy vendor’s products. But they are dramatically different in that they are open-source, open platform hardware/software integrated, and done under a mass custom model, which impacts product design (highly defined modular elements), and feature best-in-class configuration and service. This approach results in open-source open platform solutions that:

· Are highly flexible – feel like custom solutions
· Work reliably like rigid legacy products
· Cost dramatically less
· Leave ownership and cost control in the hands of the customer
· Provide a single source of accountability, someone to call, no finger pointing
· Ensure a novel customer experience at the human level

Contact:
Jonathan Phillips
protocase@phillcomm.global

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