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Perth-based robotic bricklaying technology company FBR (ASX: FBR) is proving up its capabilities in construction after announcing the completion of walls for the first home in its US demonstration program with CRH Ventures – a subsidiary of Irish building products company CRH plc.
FBR, formerly known as Fastbrick Robotics, says the walls have been certified as compliant with design and building codes, marking a “significant milestone” in the commercialisation of the company’s technology.
The demonstration program is the first build ever completed by the Hadrian X robots - which have been proven to lay 300 blocks per minute - in an international market, with the project undertaken in partnership with Florida builder New Century USA.
FBR plans to complete its planned 10-home demonstration program in the US with other builders to test its technology across a spectrum of size, volume and style of homes.
New Century USA plans to use the FBR technology to build walls for four more homes as part of the US program.
Two of these homes will be built for Christopher Alan Homes, another Florida-based builder, which is among the largest local and private homebuilder in south-west Florida.
“We’re very proud to have completed our first residential structure in an international market,” says FBR’s CEO Mike Pivac.
“Having the opportunity to present our world-leading technology to one of the largest addressable markets in the world has been very exciting so far and we are looking forward to continuing to grow our operations in the United States.”
FBR says the US demonstration program will wrap up following wall constructions of seven homes for New Century USA and Christopher Alan Homes, as well as three more homes added to the program by another builder to be nominated by CRH Ventures.
The walls of each of these structures are to be certified by an independent structural engineer.
Once completed, FBR will receive US$400,000 ($601,000) from CRH Ventures under the terms of its demonstration program agreement, triggering a 45-day timeframe for the Irish group to exercise the option to form a joint venture for the delivery of “Wall as a Service” in the US which was announced by FBR in January this year.
FBR has previously indicated that an agreement with CRH Ventures could pave the way for the potential sale of 300 Hadrian X robots at $2 million each in the US.
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