FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – A new home under construction in Fort Wayne is being built with wall panels made through robotic microfactory technology.
Rival Holdings is leading construction on what the company says is the first residential project in America built using AUAR’s robotic microfactory technology.
Jerod Hevel, vice president of innovation for Rival Holdings, said the company chose Fort Wayne because of its connection to the community.
“We chose Fort Wayne because it’s our own backyard,” Hevel said. “It’s near and dear to us, and we want to make an impact in this community with the work we’re doing.”
Wall panels are made inside a warehouse in New Haven, then sent to the Fort Wayne construction site, where crews assemble the home.
Hevel said the project is a test of whether new technology and skilled labor can work together to build homes faster.
“So we’re bringing forward new technologies for framing for specifically single-family and multifamily housing,” Hevel said.
Hevel said the goal is not to replace workers, but to help them do more.
“It’s becoming harder to access skilled labor in the homebuilding process,” Hevel said. “And so, we’re looking to blend off-site methods with on-site still framing labor.”
Inside the warehouse, the process still depends on people. The robot does not work alone.
Troy Tiernon, who leads Rival Lab robotic technology, said workers still guide the machine. He said the technology is meant to make construction crews more productive.
“So, there’s still plenty of work to be done here in the warehouse,” Tiernon said. “We’re splitting labor a little bit.”
“We’re going to be doing some work in here, but we’re going to make on-site a lot faster.”
Copyright 2026 WPTA. All rights reserved.
News
News
News
News
News
News
News
News
News
News
Leave a Reply