FormAlloy, a San Diego-based additive manufacturing company, has relocated its manufacturing operations to a 23,000-square-foot facility in El Cajon, more than doubling its previous space as demand for its metal 3D-printing systems continues to grow. The move signals both the company’s expansion and the broader growth of advanced manufacturing in San Diego’s East County.
FormAlloy specializes in directed energy deposition (DED) technology — a category of metal additive manufacturing that uses lasers to melt and deposit metal powder or wire, building components layer by layer. The process is used to produce and repair high-value parts for industries including aerospace, defense, energy, and maritime. Unlike powder-bed fusion systems that build small, intricate parts, DED is suited for larger components and repair work, making it particularly relevant for military and industrial applications where part replacement timelines can be critical.
The El Cajon facility provides the space needed to accommodate larger printing systems, expanded testing capabilities, and increased production volume. The company had outgrown its previous East County location, where constrained floor space limited both the number of systems it could build and the size of parts it could produce for clients. The new facility also allows FormAlloy to consolidate design, manufacturing, and quality testing under one roof, reducing production lead times.
The relocation comes amid a period of growth for San Diego’s advanced manufacturing sector. The region’s combination of a skilled workforce, proximity to Navy and Marine Corps installations, and established aerospace and defense contractors has created a supportive ecosystem for companies like FormAlloy. The San Diego Regional EDC has identified advanced manufacturing as a key growth industry for the region, noting that the sector’s wages tend to run significantly above the regional average.
For El Cajon, the expansion represents a continuation of the city’s emergence as a manufacturing hub within the broader San Diego metro area. Lower land costs and available industrial space have attracted a growing number of production-oriented businesses to the area, and FormAlloy’s investment in a larger facility adds to the critical mass of advanced manufacturing operations in East County. The company’s growth trajectory — from startup to established manufacturer requiring 23,000 square feet of production space — illustrates the scaling potential of additive manufacturing technologies in a defense-heavy regional economy.
