3D tech giant Hobs Studio to move HQ to Here East’s growing creative cluster

• Hobs to take 7,200 sq. ft. in a move away from its Old Street base
• The move will relocate the UK’s largest 3D printer to Here East

14 November – Here East is today announcing that Hobs Studio, the UK’s largest 3D printing bureau, has chosen the campus as the new home for its London headquarters.

Hobs’ move to Here East from its current Old Street base is the latest in a line of technology and creative organisations that have chosen the tech and creative campus as firms look towards East London for their future expansion.

The new 7,200 sq. ft. 3D printing and virtual reality lab will employ around 30 people and provide a range of visual and 3D printing services for architects, engineers, property developers and others in the construction industry. Hobs works with around 95 of the Architects’ Journal’s top 100 architects, with many of the major property developers and with of most of the key contractors in the construction industry.

Here East, developed by iCITY, a company owned by clients of Delancey, a specialist real estate investment advisory company, is a dedicated 1.2 million square foot campus for businesses, educators, entrepreneurs and artists to innovate, collaborate and create the products of the future. The campus epitomises the growing collaboration between new disrupters looking to gain exposure to larger firms and established names keen to inject some innovation into their brands. Recently, global car giant Ford, online fashion retailer MATCHESFASHION.COM, leisure company Ladbrokes Coral and video game company Sports Interactive have all announced plans to move parts of their operations to the site. UCL and Loughborough University London both have campuses at Here East.

Hobs Studio’s move to Here East will mean the relocation of all of their London 3D printing facilities, including the largest 3D printer of its kind in the UK.

The Studio is moving to Here East as part of its expansion strategy and aims to relocate onto the campus by the end of the year.

Commenting, Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, said: “London is Europe’s largest tech hub and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is establishing itself as a destination for exciting tech companies, which is one of the key drivers behind east London becoming the fastest growing part of the capital. “So it’s no surprise Hobs Studio is the latest small business to decide to take advantage of all the benefits of being based in this area. This is further evidence London is open for business and that the capital remains a highly attractive destination for innovative tech companies.”

Gavin Poole, Chief Executive of Here East, said: “Here East’s mission is to bring organisations together, from disruptors to established brands, small start-ups to multi-nationals. Spanning the creative, technological and construction sectors, Hobs perfectly encapsulates this mission and we look forward to seeing the results of its collaboration with our existing tenants.”

Michelle Greeff, Managing Director of Hobs, said: “We wanted to be part of East London’s thriving creative scene and Here East was the natural choice for our new headquarters as we looked to expand in the years ahead. “In the spirit of collaboration, we are looking forward to our affiliation with the Digital Engineering and Test Centre (DETC) and we hope to collaborate further with other tenants at Here East like Loughborough University and UCL.”

In June Plexal, a world class innovation centre offering 70,000 square foot of stateof-the-art incubator, accelerator and collaborative workspace, opened at the launch of London Tech Week. This announcement builds upon the Mayor of London’s commitment to renew East London’s manufacturing heritage and transform the Thames Estuary into a worldleading hub for the creative and cultural industries.

Paul Goswell, Managing Director of Delancey, said: “Hobs Studio’s news ends a fantastic year of tenant announcements for Here East. As we continue to build a world-leading tech and creative hub, it is the latest in a line of cutting-edge companies to join the campus. I am sure that they will make a real contribution, both to our community and to the wider Hackney Wick area.” Hobs are also planning to initiate a 3D academy that will help build a talent pool of 3D specialists in an industry that has identified a substantial skills gap. LLDC are interested in exploring how to support the academy to enable local people from across the community around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to get the industry-led skills training they need for high-value jobs across different sectors.