CEMEX invest in COBOD 3D printing technology

Investment part of strategy to deliver superior customer experience through digital technologies

CORPORATE venture capital and open innovation unit CEMEX Ventures is investing in COBOD, a global leader in construction-grade 3D printers. The investment is part of CEMEX´s strategy to deliver a superior customer experience enabled by digital technologies.

CEMEX and COBOD have been working together over the last year to innovate in the 3D printing space. Through this partnership, they recently introduced the first ever 3D printing solution that utilizes conventional ready-mixed concrete in the building process.

The solution can deliver significant savings versus traditional 3D printing construction methods and materials and has been implemented in several geographies. CEMEX and COBOD also intend to further develop innovative material solutions and building performance enhancements for 3D printing applications.

Current 3D printing construction methods rely on highly specialized and expensive mortars. CEMEX have introduced a proprietary admixtures family called D.fab, which allows conventional concrete to be efficiently tailored for 3D printing construction. This admixtures innovation produces a more fluid and easier to pump concrete that facilitates 3D printing applications.

COBOD’s printers and expertise, in combination with the admixtures, make it possible to implement a more efficient process that requires less material and utilizes any concrete.

‘The investment in COBOD reflects our customer-centric mindset and relentless focus on continuous innovation and improvement. Working with COBOD, CEMEX have developed a customer experience in 3D printing construction that is superior to anything that has been provided in the past,’ said Gonzalo Galindo, head of CEMEX Ventures.

‘Our innovation efforts position us at the forefront of new technologies that contribute to building a better future.’

Henrik-Lund Nielsen, founder and general manager of COBOD.2, added: ‘I’m proud to have CEMEX join us as an investor along with our other shareholders PERI and GE Renewable Energy.

‘CEMEX are already an important partner to us. Together, we have already improved 3D construction printing tremendously with the successful D.fab solution, and we intend to continue to develop new, innovative materials to build a better future through material solutions for 3D printing applications that significantly reduce construction costs and time.’