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Dive brief:
- Building on its portfolio of 3D printed projects, retail giant Walmart, along with other commercial retailers, will work with 3D printing company Alquist to deliver more than a dozen construction projects in the US, according to a November 24 announcement.
- The jobs, which vary in size, scope and regional application, represent a turning point for the construction industry as concrete 3D printing moves beyond one-off pilots and toward full-scale commercialization, Alquist said in the news release.
- To meet the demand, Greeley, Colo.-based Alquist will partner with equipment rental and construction distributor Hugg & Hall and full-service general contractor FMGI. Under the model, FMGI will own and lease Alquist A1X printers, funded and managed by Hugg & Hall, to execute large-scale 3D printing projects across the country, according to the press release.
Diving knowledge:
The partnership will apply Alquist’s robotic 3D printing systems to provide structural walls and infrastructure elements, according to the press release. Alquist claims the technology will deliver projects more efficiently and sustainably than traditional construction methods.
The first project under this model will begin at Walmart’s Lamar, Missouri location in December, according to the press release.
The job is Alquist’s third Walmart project. Previously, the 3D printing company created a nearly 8,000-square-foot, 20-foot-tall space. expansion of the Athens, Tennessee Walmart store in September 2024. Also released another expansion for the Huntsville, Ala.-based retailer, according to local outlet FOX 54.
“What attracted us to Alquist was how practical this technology really is, it’s faster to mobilize, cleaner on-site and delivers consistent quality on every print,” said Darin Ross, president and CEO of Woodstock, Georgia-based FMGI, in the press release. “For us, this partnership is about transforming how large-scale projects are done.”
With the technology, FMGI claims it can have AI-trained robots working 24/7, according to the company’s website, supported by a team of five human operators.
