Arridex, formerly known as the RusselSmith Group, has been building additive manufacturing competence and capacity in Africa for years. Previously, the company got approval to use a Roboze 3D printed oil services part, completed maritime work in Ghana, and worked with CEAD on large-format polymer 3D printing.
Now, the firm is opening its Omnifactory, a Lagos-based additive manufacturing facility.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the factory was opened by the Governor of Lagos State, along with local and international dignitaries. Meanile, Arridex CEO Kayode Adeleke spoke at the Invest Lagos 3.0 forum commemorating his firm’s move.
Executive Governor of Lagos Babajide Sanwo-Olu said,
¨Today, I opened West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility in Lagos. By producing industrial components and spare parts here in Lagos, Arridex is helping to reduce our dependence on imports, strengthening critical industries and supporting economic growth. I commend the Arridex team for their vision and commitment to building solutions that serve not only Nigeria but the wider African continent. Lagos will continue to support investments that create opportunities, grow local capacity and position our state as a hub for innovation and industry.¨
Adeleke said,
“We did not set out to build the biggest company, but a resilient one. For over two decades, we have chosen the harder path, and that is to make in Africa what others import, to meet global standards without exception, and to put purpose before profit. The Arridex Omnifactory is where that conviction becomes infrastructure. The name on the door is new, but the work behind it is not. We are not stopping here. By the first quarter of 2027, we will commission the Arridex Mega Omnifactory, which will stand among the largest single-site industrial additive manufacturing facilities in the world. The next chapter of global manufacturing can be written from Lagos. We are building it.”
The Omnifactory will have FDM, LPBF, Cold Spray, and polymer LPBF capabilities, as well as large-format 3D printing. At the factory, the company hopes to engineer spare parts, reverse engineer components, make new components, and help with prototyping.
Arridex got its start in oil & gas in 2005, and now works across demanding industries such as defense, maritime, and aerospace. During its history, the company has “zero lost-time incidents across more than seven million man hours of operations.”
3D printed compressor coupling used in an industrial application. Image courtesy of RusselSmith.
Certified by Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and working with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), the Arridex Omnifactory is slated to become a keystone for Nigeria’s additive efforts. Nigeria has significant oil exports and a lot of energy infrastructure. Typically, a lot of consultants, engineers, and parts for these industries come from abroad. Therefore, any work that can be done in Nigeria would be a huge boon for the local economy.
By tackling 3D printing locally, the Omnifactory could create high value jobs in the area. At the same time, it could help complete MRO jobs faster. Making parts quicker and easier to obtain will be a significant benefit for locally operating energy firms. Spills or stoppages are very expensive, and quicker solutions will make them all perk up. The Omnifactory therefore is an excellent addition. And building on to the company’s accomplishments in additive, the very idea of the Omnifactory is bound to bring in more business and interest. Practically, to have one place to build on making certified parts in several technologies is going to be great for Nigeria, the local oil and gas industry, and the region. Also, being the de facto producer of MRO parts for the energy and defense industries locally is an enviable stable business to be in. All around this is an excellent play, and I can’t wait to see what this firm will accomplish.