Picture credit: ZMorph All-in-One 3D Printers on Unsplash
Cutting carbon in a country that relies so heavily on concrete in construction is going to be a challenge, so it’s good to hear about a low-carbon 3D printing factory that’s set to open this summer near Scunthorpe.
Known as Forge I, it will produce digitally designed foundation systems, manufactured by robots. This will make it “the most automated concrete manufacturing facility of its kind in the UK” according to Hyperion Robotics.
The company is one of 68 deep-tech startups which were selected for the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator programme in July 2024, with the aim of developing a breakthrough that would revolutionise the construction industry. The Finnish technology company, Hyperion, was given a €2.37 million grant (£1.06 million) along with equity investment from the EU to support developing carbon-negative materials for construction.
Hyperion has already delivered projects for clients including National Grid and Yorkshire Water, among others, and will focus on efficient foundation systems for the energy, water, data centre and utilities sectors.
Its site in Lincolnshire will have the capacity to manufacture more than 50 large-scale foundations per week, ready to be used across the UK. The typical dimensions will be a 3m by 3m footprint and 2.5m height. The foundations will be Eurocode-compliant and CE-marked.
The company has partnered with LKAB Minerals, a subsidiary of the Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB, which produces low-carbon mineral products. Producing these foundations combines computational design and automated, robotic production processes. Along with the low-carbon minerals, this approach to production delivers both cost savings and environmental benefits, compared with standard construction methods.
As Hyperion CEO Fernando De los Rios puts it, “This partnership brings together the material security, industrial capability and sustainability foundation needed to scale production and support the UK’s ambitious infrastructure plans and carbon reduction targets.”
With costs generally heading in one direction, and concrete production accounting for around 8% of global CO2 emissions, this kind of innovation is urgently needed. When the world feels unstable, it’s more important than ever that we’re able to produce our own construction materials.
In the meantime, if you need any assistance with the structural elements of an upcoming project, please do get in touch.
