Picture: Alquist 3D
Walmart, in collaboration with 3D printing company Alquist, has completed the expansion of a Supercenter in Alabama using 3D concrete printing. As part of this pilot project, a 5,000-square-foot pickup area for online orders was constructed within just seven days. The 3D concrete printing technology (3DCP) significantly reduced both construction time and material usage compared to conventional building methods.
For the project in Owens Cross Roads, two large-format 3D concrete printers were used to produce 16-foot-high wall segments in a total of 75 hours. The five-person crew completed the structure approximately 50 percent faster than traditional construction methods.
“In a commercial construction world that pays so much attention to project timelines and costs, our work with Walmart shows that 3D printing isn’t just a novelty – it’s an innovation ready to scale,” said Patrick Callahan, CEO, Alquist 3D. “With this second project, we’re demonstrating how retail expansions can be faster, more cost-effective, and less wasteful, paving the way for broader adoption in large-scale builds.”“We’re proving that 3DCP is cheaper and greener than standard CMU construction,” said Darin Ross, president and CEO, FMGI, Inc., general contractor. “This build cost 15% less and produced 55% less waste than the first 3DCP build late last year in Athens, Tenn.”
In addition to saving time, material waste was also significantly reduced. FMGI reports a waste rate of less than five percent. The concrete mix, supplied by Sika USA, was designed for rapid curing and high structural performance.
“These tests aim to evaluate alternative techniques to traditional construction, while maximizing sustainability,” said LB Johnson, Vice President of Construction at Walmart. “Our approach to innovation is designed to optimize processes and simplify field operations – leading to reductions in project costs and timelines. This will enable speed to market for our customers and help accelerate evolution in the construction industry.”
The 3DCP process also proved resilient in adverse weather conditions. Alquist complements its technical efforts with a training program developed in partnership with Aims Community College to prepare future specialists in 3D concrete printing and support the technology’s industrial scalability.
