Robot brickies a step closer to working on sites

Grant Prior 1 year ago
Share

A robotics startup has secured £20m in funding to scale-up the number of brick-laying machines it can deploy on sites across Europe and increase the types of blocks and construction tasks the robots can manage.

The UK is a core target market for Dutch based firm Monumental which completed its first large-scale 15-metre facade for an office and warehouse building last year.

Contractors can hire Monumental as a subcontractor to bring in its robots to work as bricklayers autonomously across the site and alongside humans.

This removes the financial risk to contractors involved in purchasing and operating the machines while also reducing the risk of having to learn and validate the tech.

The robots are fitted with advanced sensors, cutting-edge computer vision and small cranes. Each Monumental robot can place bricks and mortar in industrial and residential walls with human-level precision, accuracy and efficiency.

Salar al Khafaji, co-founder and CEO at Monumental, said: “The construction industry is one of the largest and most important in the world, yet it’s held back by global labour shortages and rising supply chain costs.

“At Monumental, we’re working to help the industry meet these challenges. Our agile, intelligent, and adaptable robots and software blend human expertise with robotic efficiency in a way that the industry has never seen before. They will revolutionise not just how buildings are constructed but transform the economics of the construction industry itself.”

Latest news

Comment: Gateway is acting like a barricade

Contractors left banging their heads on an (unbuilt) brick wall
2 days ago

Final phase of £1.5bn Elephant and Castle revamp hits planning

Get Living submits revised plan for 500 homes and 450-bed student block
3 days ago

Ealing backs final phase of £1.3bn estate rebuild

Friary Park estate rebuild in Acton reaches end stage
2 days ago

Green light for scaled-down Nottingham student tower

Glasshouse Street scheme will deliver 247 student rooms
2 days ago

Aston Villa to revamp North Stand

Club to reuse existing structure rather than complete rebuild
3 days ago

Mace signs ex-ISG director to lead Euro health and tech push

Gary Sweeney to head up healthcare and life sciences consultancy arm
2 days ago

Sir Robert McAlpine claws way back into profit

Firm says return to profit and strong cash balance validates new strategy
3 days ago

Severfield to cut staff by 6% amid pricing pressure

Steelwork contractor warns of extended tighter pricing due to project delays
3 days ago

JRL completes sale of 50% stake to Malaysian giant IJM

Deal boosts balance sheet and kicks starts growth plan
3 days ago

Green light for £100m Liverpool Baltic station build

Enabling highway works to start in the autumn
4 days ago

First live tests for flying construction robots

Drones can lay construction materials at height on site
3 days ago

Three firms land £170m Gentoo Sunderland housing deal

PHS Solutions, Esh and RE:GEN to deliver 10-year home upgrade plan
4 days ago

Gateway gridlock hits build-to-rent delivery as starts nosedive

Build to rent starts plunge 18% in the capital
4 days ago

Call to shift Gateway 2 checks to end building bottleneck

"The current system isn't working but we all want to see safe buildings"
4 days ago

GBN launches £600m bid race for SMR engineer roles

Owner engineers to provide technical and assurance services
4 days ago

Wates hires ex-Homes England chief to head public sector push

Robert Stone to spearhead its public sector and national frameworks strategy
4 days ago

Acheson Construction collapse costs suppliers £8.5m

One frustrated creditor seized a telehandler after contractor went into administration
5 days ago

Dominus wins go-ahead for 173-bed Glasgow scheme

Old Wynd Street job expected to cost around £25m to build
5 days ago

Safety Regulator misses deadline to clear Gateway 2 backlog

Investors pulling out of funding high rise buildings
5 days ago

CITB still sitting on £95m cash pile

Staff numbers jump from 666 to 763 as training body wage bill soars
5 days ago

£500m road surfacing framework market call

NEPO goes out to consultation on north east regional highways deal
5 days ago

Two share £220m Scottish rail repairs and minor works deal

AmcoGiffen and CPMS win civils and building repair deals
5 days ago

Builder wanted for £60m London leisure and flats job

Tower Hamlets aims to replace St George’s Leisure Centre in Shadwell
5 days ago

Contractor confirmed for business park expansion

Roe Developments to start on next phase of Castle Donington scheme
5 days ago

Driver escapes injury as scaffold collapses onto van

Major three-lift scaffold fall blocks north London high street
1 week ago

Gilbert Ash to be sold to staff

£267m turnover contractor to transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
2 weeks ago

M Group seals biggest-ever deal with Telent takeover

Digital infrastructure specialist deal lifts turnover to £3bn
2 weeks ago

Aggregates firm Ashville went down owing more than £3m

Debts revealed in Companies House update
1 week ago

Cardo saves 100 jobs at Breyer roofing arm

Private equity-backed Welsh maintenance group continues to expand
2 weeks ago

Excavator knocked off lorry going under bridge

Traffic Commissioner inquiry after accident in south London
1 week ago

Contractor services