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- FBR (FBR) is set to commence a pilot program with German company Xella to trial its building products in Perth, West Australia
- As part of the program, Xella will supply its sustainable and low energy concrete building blocks for FBR to trial in housing construction
- It is hoped the findings from the program will help develop the building block products and aid in progressing FBR’s robotic bricklaying technology towards commercialisation
- FBR shares are up 4.17 per cent on the back of the announcement, trading at five cents each
FBR (FBR) is set to commence a pilot program with German company Xella to trial its building products in Perth, West Australia.
As part of the program, Xella or, Xella Technologie- und Forschungsgesellschaft, will supply its sustainable and low energy concrete building blocks to FBR to construct houses.
Xella is a multi-billion dollar international business headquartered in Germany specialising in the manufacture and supply of building products.
More specifically, FBR will trial Xella’s Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete blocks (AAC) and Silka calcium silicate blocks (CSU).
The blocks are said to be well-suited to FBR’s HadrianX robotic bricklayer, which is currently being refined and scaled-up where possible in terms of its capabilities.
Silka CSUs are a sustainable, low energy, sound absorbent, low compression, non-combustible, weatherproof building block that are in common use throughout the world, according to a company statement from FBR.
It is hoped the pilot program will allow FBR and Xella to develop a practical understanding of each other’s products, as COVID-19 limits international travel.
Findings from the program are set to identify on any changes to the AAC or CSU blocks, adhesives or the Hadrian X itself, that could be made to improve or help work towards commercialisation of the Hadrian X.
A potential European building program has also been flagged by the company.
FBR’s Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Mike Pivac, said he was looking forward to progressing global scaling of the Hadrian X.
“We are very pleased to be working with another high-quality block supplier with global reach as we continue to commercialise our automated bricklaying technology,” he said.
FBR shares are 4.17 per cent in the green on the back of the announcement, trading at five cents each at 10:49 am AEDT.
