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Walmart completed the first commercial real estate project using 3D-printed technology at one of its Supercenters — a groundbreaking undertaking that wasn’t without its problems.
The Big Picture: 3D-printing is likely the future of construction, as it theoretically will make projects quicker to complete and cheaper to produce. But right now, there are plenty of growing pains that will keep the industry from a quick transformation.
Between the Lines: Walmart’s 8,000-square-foot expansion at its store in Athens, Tennessee was essentially a pilot program.
- The space, which is dedicated to holding items for ecommerce customers, was built using 3D-printing tech from Alquist 3D.
- Due to a heat wave, the material didn’t originally react as intended, making the project fall weeks behind schedule and cost as much as using traditional construction methods.
- But Walmart apparently understood the roadblocks and is pleased enough to keep testing the technology.
The Future: Walmart has 200 similar projects to the Athens one in the pipeline, so there are plenty of opportunities to keep testing the tech… and plenty of opportunities for Alquist (one of the leaders in the space) to keep developing the technology. Alquist has had a spotty track record with past projects, but if they can get things consistently right with Walmart, they’ll be built for success. Don’t be surprised if Walmart even becomes a hub for Alquist to sell home packages.
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