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Australian company’s construction robot to help solve Mexico’s home shortage

Fastbrick Robotics, an Australian robotic technology company, has reached a deal to pilot test its construction robot, Hadrian X, in Mexico.

Fastbrick Robotics, an Australian robotic technology company, has reached a deal to pilot test its construction robot, Hadrian X, in Mexico.Fastbrick Robotics, an Australian robotic technology company, has reached a deal to pilot test its construction robot, Hadrian X, in Mexico.

The Perth-based company has developed a construction robot capable of building an entire single-storey house in under 2 days – autonomously and with almost no human input or intervention.

The deal with GP Vivienda, a subsidiary of Grupo GP, represents one of its very first practical applications of the Hadrian X and is the first instance of the construction robot being deployed outside of Australia.

Hadrian X is a construction robot mounted into a classic cab over engine truck to easily transport it to and from a location for on-site building. The robot component could also be mounted onto other bases such as tracks, barges, boats and cranes to bring this unique capability to a range of environments.

Hadrian X uses FBR’s Dynamic Stabilisation Technology to measure movement caused by wind, vibration and inertia and counteracts it in real-time using advanced algorithms to provide unprecedented precision.

Under the terms of the agreement, GP Vivienda plans to utilise Fastbrick’s technology and Hadrian X innovation for a period of two years with various commercial, corporate and investment opportunities, knowledge sharing, mutual business development opportunities, and joint technology opportunities already being contemplated by both companies.

Both parties see a variety of potential synergies given their complementary activities.

“The Hadrian X presents a solution to Mexico’s acute shortage of well-constructed affordable homes, with access to the necessary services like schools, parks and commercial areas,” said Mike Pivac, CEO of Fastbrick.

“GP Vivienda is an ideal partner for FBR in Mexico, as they have shown they are adaptable and willing to embrace disruptive technology and have sufficient scale to offer an excellent proving ground for the Hadrian X and future DST applications in North America,” Mr. Pivak said.

According to industry analysts and research conducted by Fastbrick’s business advisor EY-Parthenon, the Mexican market represents an ideal opportunity for the Hadrian X to make its mark.

Most construction done in Mexico is of a low-rise nature and almost entirely made up of brick and block construction. This type of relatively straightforward construction combined with a dire 8.3 million shortage of affordable houses means that around 700-750 Hadrian X robots could theoretically “replace all bricklaying labour in Mexico in 2018”, according to Fastbrick.

Given the frequency of extreme weather events and earthquakes in Mexico, the company says the Hadrian X can assist in providing reliable, timely and cost-effective post-disaster construction.


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