Robotics, Construction, and Capital

It is easy to dismiss robots as only working in a controlled environment. It is also easy to dismiss looking at the speed, flaws and costs.

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As you watch the Atlas Robot from Boston Dynamics do some basic parkour moves

or this drywall hanging robot:

 it is also easy to dismiss looking at the speed, flaws and costs.

However take a look at where the technology was at in 2009: 

While still impressive we have come a very long ways. This would be having an uncoordinated dog in 2009 being able to hang a pieces of sheetrock in 2018.  

Look at the rapid leaps we have made with mobile technology as we went from “candybar phones” in 2005 to the first smartphone in 2011.

Where do you think we are at in that innovation curve when it comes to robotics?  

  • Keep in mind that more and more of construction is moving towards offsite fabrication in a controlled environment that will accelerate the use of robotics.  
  • Keep in mind that the balance of the 3 basic constraints on a contracting business shift towards capital when this tipping point occurs.
  • Rise of the Robots is a great book to provide food for strategic thought.

What is your technology strategy?  How is it integrated with your talent and capital management strategies? 




Integrated Systems - Defined
Construction contracting is highly competitive. Winning requires people and technology aligned with effective workflows to deliver maximum value for customers with minimum waste while allowing the business to scale sustainably.
Changes and Cash Flow Improvement
Construction is a cash-intensive business and change orders are often one of the root causes of poor cash flow. A 30-day improvement to change management workflow can generate over $400K in additional cash flow for a $50M contractor.
Project Cash Metric for Work-in-Progress (WIP)
Do your projects burn or build cash? The biggest cash flow variable for a contractor is their projects. Cash flow is a critical scoreboard metric for contractors.