XtreeE
XtreeE, a French company specialising in large-scale off-site 3D construction printing, has announced the deployment of three new connected 3D printing units, operated by partners in Switzerland, the United States and Japan. The simultaneous opening of these sites on three continents brings the number of deployed XtreeE units to 12.
This deployment is part of the company’s strategy to build a worldwide network of more than 50 3D printing units by 2025. XtreeE is also raising funds to support the goal, and has planned the inauguration of six other units to be completed by the end of 2023. The company first began deploying units with the set-up of a construction 3D printer in Dubai in 2019.
XtreeE says this ‘acceleration’ of the development of its global network of construction 3D printing units was made possible by two funding rounds, a 1.1 million EUR round in 2017, and a 1 million EUR round in 2018, and investment from Vinci Construction, Shibumi International and Holcim France.
“Our model is based on a ‘multi-local’ ecosystem, which allows us to efficiently produce custom structural elements anywhere in the world. The challenge is to print as close as possible to the construction sites, and we support our partners locally with our digital platform and our design-build services,” said Alban Mallet, Co-Founder and Managing Director of XtreeE.
XtreeE’s ‘Printing-as-a-Service’ platform provides its customers with a catalogue of products and digital assistance tools to facilitate architectural design and the production of 3D printed parts. XtreeE says that any buyer of one of its systems becomes part of the XtreeE ecosystem, made up of design offices, builders and architectural engineers.
According to XtreeE, following the demonstration of the viability of its technology in a series of over 40 projects, such as architectural elements, infrastructure, and interior and exterior furniture, it has been able to deploy twelve 3D printing units over recent years.
XtreeE states that the company aims to improve safety and reduce the environmental impact of construction. The company claims that 3D printing can reduce cement consumption in construction by up to 70%.
In addition to using concrete, XtreeE has also developed the use of other printable materials such as plaster, raw earth and geopolymers, and recycled leather.
Romain Duballet, Co-Founder and Director of XtreeE said: “The team’s common ambition is above all environmental. 3D printing and more broadly the automation of prefabrication make possible more environmentally friendly constructions, thanks to an optimised use of locally sourced materials, reduce the risk of accidents on site and improve work conditions.”
