News Brief: Walmart and Alquist Landmark Deal for 3D-Printed Commercial Buildings
Summary
Walmart and construction tech company Alquist 3D have announced a major expansion of their partnership, marking the largest-scale commercial deployment of 3D printing technology in real estate to date. Alquist will 3D print over a dozen new buildings for Walmart and other retailers.
Key Points
- Landmark Deal: Following a successful pilot—an 8,000-sq-ft addition to a Tennessee Walmart—Alquist will now print more than a dozen new commercial buildings for Walmart and other retailers.
- Industry Scale-Up: This deal represents a significant shift, scaling 3D printing from residential projects into large-scale commercial real estate (CRE).
- Key Partnership: Construction materials giant Sika will supply materials for all future Alquist projects, aiming to lower costs and develop more sustainable mixes.
- Overcoming Challenges: Initial projects faced logistical hurdles, but processes have streamlined. A second 5,000-sq-ft Walmart center was printed in just seven days.
- Labor Evolution: 3D printing requires fewer but more highly trained workers skilled in robotics, attracting new talent to the construction sector.
- Growing Competition: Companies like Icon Build are also entering the commercial 3D printing space, targeting projects like data centers with new, larger printers.
- Future Outlook: Industry leaders predict rapid growth, with Icon anticipating over 300% growth next year as the technology proves its commercial viability beyond pilot stages.
新闻简报：沃尔玛与Alquist达成里程碑协议，推动3D打印商业地产
摘要
沃尔玛与建筑科技公司Alquist 3D宣布大幅扩展合作伙伴关系，这标志着3D打印技术在房地产领域迄今为止最大规模的商业应用。Alquist将为沃尔玛及其他零售商3D打印超过十几栋新建商业建筑。
关键点
- 里程碑协议：继在田纳西州一家沃尔玛门店成功增建8000平方英尺的试点项目后，Alquist现在将为沃尔玛及其他零售商打印超过十几栋新的商业建筑。
- 行业规模化：这笔交易标志着3D打印从住宅项目向大规模商业地产的重大转变。
- 关键合作伙伴：建筑材料巨头西卡公司将供应Alquist所有未来项目的材料，旨在降低成本并开发更可持续的混合材料。
- 克服挑战：初期项目面临物流障碍，但流程已得到优化。第二个5000平方英尺的沃尔玛提货中心仅用七天就打印完成。
- 劳动力演变：3D打印需要更少但受过更高培训、掌握机器人技术的工人，这为建筑行业吸引了新人才。
- 竞争加剧：Icon Build等公司也正在进入商业3D打印领域，计划用新的更大打印机瞄准数据中心等项目。
- 未来展望：行业领导者预测将快速增长，Icon公司预计明年增长超过300%，因为该技术将在试点阶段之外证明其商业可行性。
Original Article Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/10/walmart-sika-3d-printed-real-estate.html