In 2001 the events that led to the beginning of Midwest Prototyping included the purchase of a desk and one stereolithography machine. Both of which shared an office with founder Steve Grundahl. Steve credits his early exposure to rapid prototyping technology while studying at the University of Milwaukee's School of Engineering in the early 1990s. Although his exposure to this technology was during its development stage, he never lost his fascination with it. As industries began adopting it as a valid option for rapid prototyping and product development, Steve took the opportunity to start his journey as a business owner.

Appreciative customers also began asking for additional machining, fabrication, assembly, and show-quality finishing options. Larger orders started coming in, and Midwest Prototyping added a second large-frame stereolithography machine to its fleet.  As a result, the makings of a full-service prototyping shop were well underway. 2005 brought the acquisition of a local machine shop, and Midwest Prototyping hired a full-time machinist.  Along the way, it became clear that Midwest Prototyping was ready for a much larger facility.

By the end of 2006, the company had built a new 18,000-square-foot facility with anticipation for future growth. This space allowed development across the business with new CNC machining and rapid prototyping equipment.

In 2008, Midwest Prototyping acquired longtime competitor Manitowoc Prototypes and integrated their equipment and customers. This move added even more capacity for the rapid prototyping division.

In 2012, Midwest Prototyping acquired another building across the road and relocated the CNC machining operations there as the once-too-big facility was already filling up. Steve quickly backfilled the newly vacated space with more equipment.

As the years flew by they've been marked by the growth of orders and happy customers, additional technologies.  In 2018 with the acquisition of Tenere Rapid Prototyping, our Colorado facility, and a lot of beta testing, research, and development work to ensure that we’re on the cutting edge of this fast-moving industry.

In 2021 the opportunity to join forces with Prototek, a premiere precision sheet metal fabricating and CNC machining company, came. Thus Midwest Prototyping became the additive manufacturing division of Prototek.

Early in 2022, Prototek added ProtoCAM to Midwest Prototyping, growing the additive manufacturing capabilities and expanding to Allentown, PA.

Later in the year, Prototek also brought Prototyping Solutions Group, located in Menomonie, WI, into the fold, furthering their sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, and additive manufacturing capabilities in the Midwest.