Construction tech startup Automated Architecture (AUAR) is shipping two of its robotic micro-factories to the US as it expands operations to North America.
AUAR’s micro-factories will be deployed by Rival Holdings, a real estate development and construction firm, to build thousands of sustainable and affordable homes across the Midwest.
The partnership aims to address the ongoing housing crisis in the US and will focus, the companies claim, on producing sustainable homes that are affordable and built to high standards.
London-based AUAR, in collaboration with its strategic partner ABB Robotics, is building a global, automated construction ecosystem for housing. ABB’s technologies are at the heart of AUAR’s micro-factories, executing tasks like modular assembly. These advanced robots, equipped with vision and AI capabilities, claim to boost speed, flexibility and consistency.
The two micro-factories shipped to the US can each produce up to 180 homes a year. Unlike existing solutions, they don’t require big factories to be set up and have a quick lead time of 12 weeks from order to shipping.
“We are really excited to partner with Rival Holdings to bring our cutting-edge robotic micro-factories to the United States,” said Mollie Claypool, co-founder and CEO of AUAR.
“This partnership is our first in the US and will enable us to scale up the production of high-quality, affordable and sustainable homes where there is a huge and urgent need for them.”
AUAR co-founders Mollie Claypool and Gilles Retsin. Credit: Gordon Gronbach
Each micro-factory is capable of producing modular timber-frame panels for walls, floors and roofs which can be quickly assembled on-site to create a variety of home designs.
“We have designed our micro-factory solution to be truly accessible to home-builders,” said Gilles Retsin, co-founder and CTO of AUAR. “We do this by keeping the upfront costs low and allowing for quick installation and delivery.
“The operation of the micro-factory itself doesn’t require extensive training or knowledge of robotics, our software and team take care of everything from the initial designs down to manufacturing.”