MINNEAPOLIS, MN, June 4, 2025 – Proto Labs, Inc. has announced its Board of Directors has appointed Suresh Krishna as president and chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors. Krishna most recently served as president and chief executive officer at Northern Tool + Equipment, a manufacturer and retailer of tools and commercial equipment.
Krishna takes over as CEO following Rob Bodor, who will remain in a consulting role to support the leadership transition. The Board sees Krishna’s appointment as aligned with Protolabs’ strategy of serving as a single manufacturing partner – from prototyping to production – for engineers, product teams, and supply chain professionals. In his previous role at Northern Tool + Equipment, Krishna focused on expanding the customer base and driving growth through improvements in operations and supply chain management.
Rainer Gawlick, chairman of Protolabs’ board of directors said, “Under Rob’s leadership, Protolabs has expanded its capabilities, enhanced its manufacturing processes, significantly broadened the Protolabs Network and driven business-wide organizational improvements, all to better serve its customers. With the solid foundation that Rob helped establish, the Company is well-prepared to enter its next phase of growth. We thank Rob for his dedication to Protolabs and its customers and wish him well in his next chapter.”
Gawlick continued, “Protolabs has started the year strong, and we are pleased to welcome Suresh as the Company’s new CEO. With a 30-year track record of overseeing profitable growth and shareholder value creation at manufacturing companies, we are confident that he has the right skills and experience to build on the Company’s positive momentum. He will take Protolabs to the next level by growing our customer loyalty and share, accelerating the execution of our production expansion initiatives and continuing to drive profitable growth through our unique digital manufacturing model. Importantly, Suresh brings fresh perspectives and a talent for implementing innovative growth strategies, which will be key to advancing our winning strategy and delivering results.”
Krishna said, “I’m honored to join Protolabs as its next CEO. This is an important time as the Company works to expand its offerings and gain a larger share of the $100 billion digital manufacturing market. Protolabs has an amazing team, best-in-class production times and a key competitive advantage as the only digital manufacturer that combines in-house digital manufacturing with a network of manufacturing partners. This next chapter for the Company is going to be an extraordinary one, and I am thrilled to be leading the talented Protolabs team forward.”
Bodor said, “It’s been a privilege to have led the Protolabs team over the past four years. Together, we have advanced the Company’s position as a leading prototype manufacturer serving some of the most innovative companies in the world across a range of industries. Core to our success has been our unwavering commitment to quality and our customers, who have rewarded us with their loyalty and business. I look forward to seeing Protolabs continue to advance and achieve its full potential.”
Source: Protolabs
About Protolabs
Protolabs is a digital manufacturing company that provides rapid prototyping and on-demand production services through 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Maple Plain, Minnesota, the company serves a broad range of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, consumer products, and industrial equipment. Protolabs is known for its ability to deliver custom parts in as little as one day, helping engineers and product developers accelerate design iterations and reduce time-to-market. The company integrates automated quoting and manufacturing systems to streamline the production process from prototype to low-volume production. In 2024, the company reported annual revenue of approx. $500.9 million and served 51,552 customer contacts across more than 160 countries. As of the end of 2024, Protolabs employed 2,357 people globally. It has manufacturing facilities and offices in North America, Europe, and Japan. Protolabs provides a single-source solution for flexible, fast, and reliable product development and manufacturing.