ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
Canvas | March 17, 2023
Hilti announces a strategic partnership with Canvas, a construction robotics company that has developed a robotic drywalling solution aiming to empower people to build in bold new ways.
The partnership marks the beginning of a significant new step in robotics innovation after Hilti had launched the Jaibot, the world’s first semi-autonomous ceiling drilling robot in 2020. This collaboration brings together leaders in intelligent jobsite robotics who share a common vision: that robotic tools will unlock vastly untapped potential and drive a new era of productivity and safety for skilled trade workers.
Canvas, headquartered in San Francisco and founded in 2017 by veterans of Boston Dynamics, MIT and Stanford, leverages advances in collaborative robotics and machine learning to build a new class of tools for skilled tradespeople that harness the power of AI and machine learning. To date, Canvas has focused on drywall finishing which, studies have shown, has among the highest prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorder cases, with as many as one in four workers experiencing such effects.
Canvas’ robot can apply both level 5 and level 4 drywall finishes in a fraction of the time, and at a higher level of safety and reliability, compared to similar traditional methods. In contrast to manual application, the robot applies a single consistent layer of joint compound over wet tape and telescopes to 15.5 feet to do the vast majority of the work at height. It reduces repetitive motion injuries and captures 99.9% of the dust produced by sanding.
As part of the partnership, Hilti will assume the manufacturing responsibilities for future Canvas systems based on the proven Jaibot platform, giving Canvas a reliable and scalable global supply to meet the huge demand for its finishing robots.
“At Hilti, our purpose is making construction better. We do this by focusing our resources on innovative hardware, software and services that help to increase contractor productivity, worker health & safety, and sustainability,” said Thomas Hillbrand, Member of Hilti’s Executive Board. “Our shared values bring Hilti and Canvas together—and we’re excited to support Canvas in reimagining better ways of working through the power of robotics and AI.”
“It’s extremely validating that the demand for our drywall finishing robot quickly outstretched our capacity to produce this year,” says Canvas’ CEO, Kevin Albert. “Contractors continue to struggle with rising costs and labor shortages. The demand we see is testament to the critical need for new tools in the industry to address these challenges and empower our skilled workforce. We’re excited to announce this partnership which continues to push the boundary of what is possible and positions Canvas to meet current and future demand for our machines globally.”
The Canvas-Hilti partnership positions the construction robotics company to scale globally in an industry that is ripe for change. The partnership will enable Canvas to help the drywall industry solve its chronic and growing labor problem, while also making the job site cleaner, safer and less strenuous for the people doing the work.
About Canvas
Canvas is a construction robotics company whose mission is to enable people to build in bold new ways. The Canvas system provides a flexible approach to drywall finishing, combining the skills and expertise of trained workers with technology that, together, enable drywall finishing work to be done better, faster, safer, and more consistently. Canvas has been recognized by Forbes and Fortune on their top AI and start-up lists, respectively, and recently won the Pro Tools Innovation Award for Technology/Robotics.
About Hilti Group
The Hilti Group supplies the worldwide construction and energy industries with technologically leading products, systems, software and services. With about 32,000 team members in over 120 countries, the company stands for direct customer relationships, quality and innovation. Hilti generated annual sales of more than CHF 6.3 billion in 2022. The headquarters of the Hilti Group have been located in Schaan, Liechtenstein, since its founding in 1941. The company is privately owned by the Martin Hilti Family Trust, which ensures its long-term continuity. The Hilti Group’s strategic orientation is based on a caring and performance-oriented culture and the goals of creating enthusiastic customers and building a better future.
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ENGINEERING TECH, CONSTRUCTION
NV5 | February 07, 2023
NV5 Global Inc., a renowned conformity assessment, technology, and consulting solutions provider, recently announced the acquisition of Bromley Cook Engineering, a leading provider of specialty structural engineering, forensics, and waterproofing services to facilities and infrastructure throughout Florida. Bromley Cook's inspectors and engineers have worked on the renovation, design, and preservation of some of the state's most significant projects. The deal was completed using a combination of stock and cash and will be immediately accretive to NV5's earnings.
Bromley Cook excels in restoring concrete and structural building components, providing expert witness services for construction litigation, and designing resilient mission-critical facilities that will stay fully operational following a major hurricane. As a leading figure in hurricane hardening, Bromley Cook specializes in the design of storm-resistant facades, window and glass systems, and building systems.
NV5's Chairman and CEO, Dickerson Wright, commented, "Florida's wind, heat, humidity, and hurricane exposure create challenging conditions for the built environment, and facility owners rely on specialized structural engineering to design and preserve resilient buildings." He added, "Bromley Cook's decades of experience in the Florida market make it uniquely qualified to identify construction defects, design durable structures, and deliver sustainable building solutions that will stand the test of time."
(Source - GlobeNewswire)
About NV5
Founded in 1947, NV5 Global, Inc., is a technology, conformity assessment, and consultancy firm that supports sustainable infrastructure, building assets and systems and utility for public and private sector clients. The company focuses on multiple verticals, including testing, inspection, and consulting, infrastructure engineering, utility services, buildings and program management, environmental health sciences, and geospatial technology services, in order to provide innovative, sustainable solutions to complex problems and improve the quality of life in our communities. NV5 has more than 100 offices in the United States and worldwide. The company is a recipient of various Awards & Recognitions, including the fortune 100 fastest-growing company for the year 2017-2021, #1 in the Zweig Hot Firm Award in 2020 and many more.
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ENGINEERING TECH,CONSTRUCTION
Woolpert | January 12, 2023
In yesterday’s announcement, U.S. Small Business Administration approved a six-year Mentor-Protégé agreement between Taylor Engineering and Woolpert.
Under the agreement, Taylor Engineering, which provides coastal and water resources research and engineering services, and Woolpert a global architecture, geospatial, and engineering firm, will help Taylor expand its technical consulting capabilities, remote-sensing instrumentation and data collection capabilities to support domestic federal clients. In addition, Woolpert’s management and technical assistance will expand Taylor’s relationships with federal agencies, enabling it to compete successfully with other large Mentor-Protégé Programs teams and small businesses.
Taylor’s end of the agreement will include delivering modeling expertise and coastal engineering experience to assist Woolpert’s consulting, geospatial and engineering capabilities. Broadly, the collaboration will be for online decision support tools, project design, data evaluation and continuous modeling for developing engineered solutions to persistent coastal issues.
Tom Mochty, Senior Vice President at Woolpert, said “Taylor provides that next step in the flow of knowledge application to communities.” He further added, “We are known for our ability to acquire and integrate topographic, bathymetric, and hydrographic data along coastlines and in the near-shore environment to support dredging, stormwater management, floodplain mapping, etc. Taylor specializes in coastal engineering and coastal modeling, which complements our capabilities perfectly. We are excited to expand our relationship with this talented group.”
(Source: CISION)
Taylor Engineering offers cutting-edge solution for the water environment. For the public, corporate, and governmental clients, the company concentrates its efforts on water-related engineering, planning, management, and environmental concerns with a concentration on coastal regions.
About Woolpert
Founded in 1911 and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert is an architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm. It provides innovative services within and across markets to serve private, government and public clients worldwide. An ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, Woolpert is an ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, and was recently awarded its sixth-straight Great Place to Work certification. With more than 1,600 employees and 60 offices on 4 continents, Woolpert is the fastest growing AEG firm in America.
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