Velo3D, Inc. (NASDAQ:VELO) shares traded higher on Tuesday after the company opened Forge 1, a large-scale metal additive manufacturing campus designed to move customer programs from qualification into production.

The nearly 289,000-square-foot Livermore facility gives investors a clearer growth catalyst: more manufacturing capacity, faster production timelines and greater exposure to aerospace, defense, energy and other mission-critical industries.

• Velo3D shares are climbing with conviction. What’s driving VELO stock higher?

Forge 1 Drives The Move

Forge 1 includes about 270,000 square feet of production space and can initially support more than 40 large-format metal additive manufacturing systems.

Velo3D plans to expand the site beyond 100 systems over time. Combined with its Fremont headquarters, the company expects to operate up to 125 systems across both campuses.

That scale could help Velo3D handle larger production programs and convert more customer projects from development and qualification into recurring manufacturing work.

One-Site Production Model

The campus will support machine assembly, production-scale printing, post-processing, inspection, quality assurance and customer acceptance under one roof.

The vertically integrated setup is intended to reduce the time needed to move parts into production while giving customers a more direct path to full-rate manufacturing.

Forge 1 will begin operations in phases as Velo3D installs and qualifies systems, with capacity increasing alongside customer demand.

U.S. Manufacturing Focus

Velo3D said the facility will strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and support resilient supply chains for strategic industries.

Its Fremont headquarters will remain focused on research and development, applications engineering, process development, qualification and customer collaboration.

"Forge 1 is much more than a new production facility," CEO Arun Jeldi said. "It represents our commitment to helping customers and our nation build a stronger, more resilient manufacturing foundation."

Velo3D Earnings Preview for August 2026

The stock’s next major catalyst is Velo3D’s estimated Aug. 26 earnings report. Analysts expect a loss of 28 cents per share on revenue of $12.97 million.

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy rating with a consensus price forecast of $23.33 (high $33, low $17). Recent analyst moves include:

• Cantor Fitzgerald: Initiated with Overweight (Target $17 on July 9)
• Needham: Initiated with Buy (Target $33 on June 25)
• Lake Street: Buy (Raises Target to $20 on May 13)

VELO Stock Price Activity: Velo3D shares were up 9.37% at $10.92 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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