Post Falls-based Quest Integration Inc. has been acquired by California-based Hawk Ridge Systems.

Chantel Hirschel, marketing manager for Quest, which sells and provides support of manufacturing-design software and hardware for 3-D printing technology, says it will retain the Quest name while it integrates with Hawk Ridge, but eventually will operate under the Hawk name.

Hawk Ridge designs and manufacturers 3-D printing systems.

Hirschel declines to disclose the terms of the transaction.

The Quest team will remain in place at the Post Falls location, though she declines to disclose a current employee count. In April, the Journal reported Quest employed 30 people.

“We felt that we needed more resources, and it was important to us to maintain a local presence,” she says of the agreement to be acquired by Hawk Ridge.

Quest and Hawk Ridge have similar product lines, she adds, but Quest customers will now have access to Hawk Ridge’s resources.

“In terms of engineers and other support, (Hawk Ridge) has a lot more specialists,” she says.

In an email to Quest customers, company President David Minerath says, “(Hawk Ridge’s) experience in areas such as advanced simulation, data management, and additive manufacturing far surpasses what we can currently provide to our customers.”

He adds, “We plan to retain our office footprint, along with our training centers, so this will have minimal impact for our customers throughout our entire territory.”

Hirschel says the goal is to integrate the companies by Jan. 1, if not sooner.

With the addition of Quest, Hawk Ridge will operate four locations across the Pacific Northwest, Hirschel says.

According to the company website, Hawk Ridge has 20 offices in the U.S. and Canada, with over 230 employees.