Hobs3d
Hobs 3D is a UK-based 3D services bureau delivering 3D printing, model making, CGI, VR/AR and digital twinning to architecture, construction, housing, defence, healthcare and entertainment clients across 14+ owned UK studios.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hobs3d does
Hobs 3D Limited is the 3D printing, visualisation and immersive technology arm of the Hobs Group, headquartered at Here East, London (with West End, Tower Bridge and Uxbridge satellite studios) and operating 14+ owned UK studios spanning Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds, Reading, Warrington, Bournemouth and Abingdon. The company evolved from the 1969-founded Hobs Reprographics business and trades today as a project-based 3D services bureau delivering 3D printing (including the UK's only iPro9000XL large-format SLA printer at 1500 x 750 x 550mm), full-colour Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 printing, traditional and 3D-printed model making, 3D laser scanning (Leica), CGI, animation, 4D construction sequences, motion graphics, verified views and photomontage. It also provides interactive immersive services — VR (built on Epic Unreal Engine), AR, 360° tours, realtime environments, touch-screen interactives — alongside a named portable VR training product, VRCUB3D, and digital twinning for construction, engineering and defence.
Revenue is generated from six streams: bureau 3D printing services, physical model making, visualisation/CGI work, immersive (VR/AR) services, hardware resale (3D printers plus service contracts and consumables sold to architectural practices since 2013) and managed service support for former Canon UK customers following Hobs 3D's 2018 asset acquisition. Pricing is custom quote-based per project, with orders above £2,000 invoiced on a schedule (up to 50% on order confirmation) and data retained on company systems for twelve months post-payment. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales with a strong event presence at MIPIM, London Build, Digital Construction Week and Develop 3D Live, plus SEO/content marketing and broad social media activity.
Hobs 3D serves vertical customers in architecture, property and housing development, construction and interior fit-out (primary), and engineering, art and design, marketing/PR, healthcare and defence (secondary). Named enterprise and government accounts include Galliford Try, Morgan Sindall, Network Rail, Jacobs (defence), Thames Tideway, Laing O'Rourke, Ferrovial, Notting Hill Genesis, Peabody, Barking Riverside, Akela Construction, Citu, Ubisoft, NHS, and the Museum of Science and Industry. The company holds a Royal Warrant, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications, and operates the Hobs Academy training programme supported by the LLDC and Mayor of London.
Hobs3d firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hobs3d
- Legal name
- Hobs 3D Limited
- Website
- https://hobs3d.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Hobs 3D is a UK-based 3D services bureau delivering 3D printing, model making, CGI, VR/AR and digital twinning to architecture, construction, housing, defence, healthcare and entertainment clients across 14+ owned UK studios.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hobs3d industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 3D Printing and Visualisation Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Architecture, Construction & Concrete 3D Printing Services (IMAAADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Architecture & Construction Scale Models (Additive) (IMAAAFAL), 3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing) (HDACAEAH)
Keywords
Where Hobs3d is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices15 records
Markets served
Hobs3d business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- 3D Printing Bureau Services: Professional 3D printing services using SLA technology. Customers submit 3D files for printing; company produces physical models. Revenue from per-project fees based on size, complexity, and material requirements. Core service for architecture, construction, and engineering clients.
- Model Making Services: Traditional model making combined with modern techniques. Includes architectural models, exhibition models, product prototypes, and metallised finishes. Custom project-based pricing.
- Visualisation Services: CGI, animation, 4D construction sequences, motion graphics, photomontage, verified views. Digital visualisation for property marketing, planning applications, and bid submissions.
- Immersive Technology Services: VR experiences, AR applications, 360 tours, realtime environments, VRCUB3D. Standalone or integrated with physical models for immersive presentations.
- 3D Equipment and Consumables: Reselling 3D printers to architectural practices. Provides service contracts and consumables. Since 2013 expanded into machine re-sales for clients wanting to take technology in-house.
- Equipment Support and Consumables: Following acquisition of Canon UK's 3D printing business assets, provides day-to-day equipment support and consumables to former Canon customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Project-based custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hobs3d product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hobs 3D is a UK 3D services bureau providing high-detail 3D printing, architectural model making, CGI, animation, VR/AR, and 3D laser scanning to architecture, construction, property development, defence, and engineering clients. The company operates 14+ studios nationwide and holds a Royal Warrant. Core capabilities include SLA stereolithography printing, full-colour 3D printing, digital twinning, and the proprietary VRCUB3D portable VR training system.
Product overview
Hobs 3D is a comprehensive 3D services provider offering an integrated portfolio of 16 core services spanning physical production (3D Printing, Model Making, 3D Scanning, Product Design & Prototyping, Exhibition Models, Metallised Prints, 3D Marketing & Branding), visual solutions (CGI, Animation, Motion Graphics, Verified Views, Photomontage), interactive technologies (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 360 Tours, Realtime Environments, Touch Screen Interactive), and digital services (Digital Twinning, 4D Construction Sequences). The portfolio also includes two named offerings: VRCUB3D (a portable pop-up VR cube system) and Hobs Academy (a training programme). The company operates multiple UK branches and serves industries including architecture, construction, engineering, marketing, healthcare, and defence.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hobs Academy: A state-of-the-art 3D training programme for individuals from under-represented backgrounds, established with support from LLDC and Mayor of London.
- VRCUB3D
Products and services
- 3D Printing Service High-detail 3D printing service using SLA stereolithography and full-colour printing technologies for architectural models, prototypes, and marketing pieces with fast-turnaround production.
- Model Making High-fidelity architectural model making service merging traditional methods with modern 3D printing techniques for precise and detailed representations.
- CGI (Computer Generated Imagery)
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% reduction in cost and production time for 3D printed city model presentations using modular tile system
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hobs3d
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hobs3d technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature5 records
Hobs3d partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Hybrid ServicescoreUK and Ireland distributor of Mimaki printers. Partnership extended Hobs 3D's portfolio with installation of Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 high-definition full-colour 3D printer with over 10 million colours capability.
- AccuCitiesflagshipJoint creation of largest 3D printed model of London spanning 2.5+ meters covering 40 square kilometers. AccuCities provides high-accuracy 3D London CAD data; Hobs 3D provides state-of-the-art SLA 3D printing. Model produced in interchangeable 10x10cm tiles.
- Canon UKcoreHobs 3D purchased assets of Canon UK's 3D printing business. Canon had been reselling professional 3D printers and providing service support to clients across UK. Hobs 3D now supports these customers with equipment and consumables.
- Thames TidewaycoreCollaborated with Hobs 3D to develop VRCUB3D interactive VR training system for Tunnel Boring Machine. Provided £20,000 investment through 'The Great Think' Innovation Challenge. Project addresses construction industry safety training.
- London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and Mayor of LondoncoreSupported establishment of Hobs Academy, a state-of-the-art training programme for individuals from under-represented backgrounds. Programme provides in-depth curriculum in 3D Print technologies, Digital Visualisation, and Modelmaking.
- MakersCafeminorPartnership with London's first 3D printing café in Shoreditch. Hobs Studio accepts more ambitious projects and larger orders from café customers.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hobs3d competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KW Special Projects: UK-based architectural model makers serving developers, architects and cultural institutions with high-end physical and digital models. Direct UK peer to Hobs 3D's architectural model making and visualisation services.
- Protolabs: Global on-demand digital manufacturer offering CNC, injection moulding and 3D printing services to engineers and enterprise buyers. Overlaps with Hobs 3D on rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing services for industrial customers.
- Materialise: Belgium-headquartered 3D printing service bureau and software provider offering on-demand additive manufacturing, visualisation and digital workflows across multiple verticals — directly comparable to Hobs 3D's bureau-plus-software model.
- Shapeways: Online 3D printing service bureau and marketplace delivering on-demand additive manufacturing to designers and businesses. Comparable to Hobs 3D's service-bureau delivery model, though Shapeways is more SMB/creator focused.
Others
- Hybrid Services: UK and Ireland distributor of Mimaki wide-format and 3D printers and an active partner of Hobs 3D for the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 installation. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
- AccuCities: UK-based supplier of high-accuracy 3D city CAD data and Hobs 3D's co-development partner for the 2.5m 3D printed London model. Functions as an upstream data provider in Hobs 3D's visualisation pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Stratasys: Global leader in polymer 3D printing hardware and services with a broad enterprise footprint across aerospace, automotive and industrial design. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the additive manufacturing market Hobs 3D serves.
- 3D Systems: Global 3D printing hardware, software and services conglomerate whose iPro9000XL SLA printer Hobs 3D operates. Overlaps via service bureau offerings and adjacent technology stack.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hobs3d social profiles
Digital presenceHobs3d compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Hobs3d financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hobs3d leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Hobs3d funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hobs3d M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hobs3d
What does Hobs3d do?
Hobs 3D is a UK 3D services bureau providing high-detail 3D printing, architectural model making, CGI, animation, VR/AR, and 3D laser scanning to architecture, construction, property development, defence, and engineering clients. The company operates 14+ studios nationwide and holds a Royal Warrant. Core capabilities include SLA stereolithography printing, full-colour 3D printing, digital twinning, and the proprietary VRCUB3D portable VR training system.
Is Hobs3d a public or private company?
Hobs3d is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hobs3d founded?
Hobs3d was founded in 1969. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Hobs3d based?
Hobs3d is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Hobs3d make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. 3D Printing Bureau Services are the primary driver. The others are model Making Services, visualisation Services, immersive Technology Services, 3D Equipment and Consumables and equipment Support and Consumables.
Who are Hobs3d's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KW Special Projects, Protolabs, Materialise and Shapeways. Others are Hybrid Services and AccuCities. Broad incumbents are Stratasys and 3D Systems.
Does Hobs3d have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hobs3d.
What industry is Hobs3d in?
Hobs3d's product category is 3D Printing and Visualisation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAADAJ, Architecture, Construction & Concrete 3D Printing Services, with a secondary code of IMAAAFAL, Architecture & Construction Scale Models (Additive).