3D concrete printing market

3D concrete printing is an innovative construction method that can be used to fabricate building components such as roofs, floors, staircase and so on. The construction of walls dominates the market.

The 3D concrete printing market is expected to grow over the CAGR of around 13% during the period 2016 to 2022. The key drivers for the growth in the market are the increasing popularity of green construction, time pressures on construction and the increasing cost effectiveness of the technology as well as the growth of the construction and infrastructure sector as a whole, and increases in the disposable income of individuals. However, high capital investment requirements may hamper the growth of the market.

Some of the technology barriers lies in the material itself which needs to set and cure rapidly before adding one layer onto another.

Then comes the look and feel of the finished product. If it looks like a ball of twine rolled up it creates a perception that the finished structure is structurally unsound. Another factor is future maintenance of the finished product. Their is nothing more simple than maintaining a wall with a smooth finish.

The Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market by value.

The key players in the market are:

• Sika
• CRH Plc.
• Balfour Beatty
• Kier Group Plc.
• LafargeHolcim
• Heidelberg Cement AG
• Fillcrete

In Africa the key player in this market is Fillcrete with its low-cost green lightweight cellular concrete construction method using standard formwork and innovative material that sets quicker and cure faster than standard concrete. It simply fills the formwork with the Fillcrete material which ends up looking liking a standard concrete wall but much lighter in weight, and with added advantages of being greener, with better accoustic and thermal performance if compared to ordinary concrete (which lowers the demand and costs for heating, cooling and additional insulation materials).

The market can be categorised by concrete type:

• Ready mix concrete
• Precast concrete
• Shotcrete
• High-density concrete
• Cellular concrete

By application:

• Residential
• Industrial
• Agricultural
• Others

By end-use

• Walls
• Roof
• Floor
• Staircase
• Others

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