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Sika invests in Swiss construction robot

Sika invests in Swiss construction robot

Tokyo (SCCIJ) – The Swiss specialty chemicals company Sika is pushing robot-assisted construction technologies by taking a stake in the start-up Mesh together with the German formwork and scaffolding systems specialist Peri. The investment amount was not disclosed. Mesh, a Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) spin-off, has developed a smart technology for the efficient and cost-effective production of complex reinforced concrete structures without formwork.

Sika invests in Swiss construction robot

The construction robot of the Swiss start-up Mesh creates 3D steel-mesh structures for different concrete walls based on computer models (© Mesh AG).

Unconventional frameworks

Mesh has automated the prefabrication of complex or curved reinforcement cages, previously manufactured by laborious manual work. The 3D steel-mesh structure created this way serves as both formwork and reinforcement and is filled by a specific concrete mix without using conventional formwork.

On the one hand, Mesh’s technology can be used for customized concrete structures, and the production of complex forms for the building industry, and on the other hand, conventional concrete structures can also be structurally optimized and realized in a material-efficient manner.

A decade of research

The new construction technology was developed in ten years of intensive research at ETH Zurich. In 2018, a technological breakthrough came with the robot-assisted production of a curved concrete wall at Zurich’s DFAB HOUSE. The technology has been transferred to an industrial construction process in partnership with Sika and Peri since 2019. The transfer was followed by the founding of Mesh AG earlier this year.

Philippe Jost, Head of Construction Sika, said: “Increasing digitalization and automation is getting more important in the construction industry. Innovative technologies enable productivity increases in construction and open up new, individual design possibilities for architects. Through our collaboration with Mesh AG and Peri, a new type of construction process is being established on the market that enables the production of complex geometries and is more cost-effective than conventional methods.”

Ammar Mirjan, CEO of Mesh AG, added: “We are pleased and proud to be able to jointly establish this technology in the construction industry with the companies Sika and Peri. The commitment and investment show the great potential of our technology for more freedom of form, sustainability, and efficiency in construction. Our different areas of expertise ideally complement each other, and we look forward to the opportunities that partnership will enable.”

Sika is a leader in developing and producing systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting the construction and automotive industries. The Swiss company has a global presence with subsidiaries in 101 countries and over 300 factories. Sika employs more than 27,000 people and posted sales of CHF 9.3 billion in fiscal 2021. With sales of €1,614 million in 2021, the family-owned Peri Group is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of formwork and scaffolding systems internationally.

Text: SCCIJ with Peri material

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