Robotic technology specialist FBR Limited’s (ASX:FBR) JV firm Fastbrick Australia has partnered with one of Australia’s largest residential construction firms Summit Homes Group.
Fastbrick Australia is the joint venture company established with Brickworks Building Products Pty Ltd offering Wall as a Service (‘WaaS) to the Australian market.
FBR’s Chief Executive Officer – Australia, Simon Amos, said the Building Pilot Programme Agreement with Summit allows FBR to demonstrate to a customer the speed, accuracy, safety, quality, waste profile and reliability of the Hadrian X construction robot.
“The Building Pilot Program with Summit is another important step in Fastbrick Australia’s introduction of the Wall as a Service model to the Australian market,” Mr Amos said.
Summit have an exceptional track record as a home builder in Western Australia and we are excited to be collaborating with them to demonstrate the capabilities of the Hadrian X and the impact of WaaS on the broader building process.
“Summit have helped over 40,000 West Australians realise their new home dreams in just over 40 years, and Fastbrick Australia are delighted to be working with them to build on that legacy.”
The Building Pilot Program Agreement with Summit consists of three stages. The first stage is a Demonstration Stage under which Fastbrick Australia will supply WaaS for three house structures on FBR premises using a range of designs supplied by Summit.
Each of these structures will be subject to inspection, assessment and reporting by both Summit and independent consultants to ensure they meet the relevant building standards.
Upon completion of the Demonstration Stage, the next stage of the Building Pilot Program Agreement will commence, which is the Display Home Stage.
In the Display Home Stage, FBR and Summit will enter into a contract under which Summit will build a display home using Fastbrick Australia’s blocklaying services, with the display home to be purchased by FBR.
After completion of the display home, FBR will open the home to the public and to current and potential collaborators, suppliers and customers from international markets to demonstrate and promote the use of the Hadrian X in residential home construction.
The third stage of the Agreement is the Builder’s Project Stage, in which Summit will engage Fastbrick Australia to supply WaaS for a single storey residential structure under a building contract with a homebuyer. Summit will engage Fastbrick Australia to provide WaaS for the Builder’s Project within six months of issuance of a certificate for the final house structure in the Demonstration Stage.
Mr Amos said Fastbrick Australia will be paid for each of the structures built under the Building Pilot Program Agreement at the prevailing market rate for bricklaying services in Western Australia.
Shares in FBR gained as much as 10% on Friday, hitting an intraday high of 6.5c before cooling to 6.1c in afternoon trade.
