Construction is underway in downtown Fort Wayne on the first residential project in the United States built using AUAR’s robotic MicroFactory system, marking a significant milestone for the adoption of on-site robotic manufacturing in the homebuilding industry. The framing process advanced at a pace consistent with a conventional production homebuilder, underscoring the technology’s ability to deliver efficiency without disrupting standard construction timelines.
The project, led by Rival Holdings in partnership with UK-based construction technology company AUAR, is providing builders with a real-world example of how emerging construction technologies can help address labor shortages, improve production efficiency and support homebuilding without disrupting traditional construction workflows.
AUAR’s MicroFactory system manufactures precision-built wall panels, allowing builders to combine advanced manufacturing with the expertise of local framing crews and skilled tradespeople. The approach is designed to help builders improve consistency, reduce production bottlenecks and increase efficiency while maintaining the critical role of construction professionals throughout the building process.
Rival Holdings became AUAR’s first U.S. customer after making an early investment in the company and is now evaluating the technology through active deployment on a residential build. The project represents a move beyond research and demonstration into practical jobsite application.
“At Rival, we invest in innovations that have the potential to transform how the built environment operates,” said Jerod Hevel, Vice President of Innovation and Strategy at Rival Holdings. “What attracted us to AUAR wasn’t simply the technology itself. It was the opportunity to address real challenges facing the building industry, including labor constraints, rising costs, and the need to deliver homes more efficiently. This project allows us to evaluate that technology in a real-world environment while demonstrating how innovation can support builders and help meet growing demand for new homes.”
Labor availability remains one of the most significant challenges facing residential construction. Builders continue to face increasing pressure from workforce shortages, rising material costs and the need to maintain production schedules while delivering quality homes.
By producing precision-built structural components on site, AUAR’s system enables framing crews to focus on installation while robotic manufacturing handles the fabrication process. The technology is designed to integrate into existing construction operations and amplify or accelerate the process rather than replace the skilled labor required to complete a home.
“Seeing the first U.S. deployment of our MicroFactory system on an active residential build demonstrates how robotic production can help builders tackle the challenges that matter most: labor constraints, rising costs and the need to build faster with precision and quality,” said Mollie Claypool, CEO and Co-Founder of AUAR.
Construction remains underway on the market-rate Midwest home, which will be offered for sale upon completion. As construction progresses, Rival plans to share updates on project milestones, lessons learned through the building process, and future opportunities to apply innovative construction methods across residential construction projects throughout Indiana and beyond.
About Rival Holdings
Rival invests in organizations in the built ecosystem with the collective goal of catalyzing innovations that will actively transform the industry. We rival the status quo by empowering visionary companies to pursue disruptive technologies and techniques that will reshape how the built world operates. Our highly skilled team believes the return on these strategic investments will transform lives, communities, and the world for the better. For more information, visit rival.re.
About AUAR
AUAR is a construction technology company that makes homebuilding easier and more affordable for production builders. Its robotic MicroFactory deploys directly onto building sites, producing wall, floor, and roof panels with precision and consistency, at builder speed, with no capital expenditure required. One MicroFactory can produce panels for up to 200 homes a year. The MicroFactory redeploys seamlessly across a builder’s pipeline as their programme grows, giving them full production control on site. AUAR operates in the US and Europe and works with global industry partners including ABB and NVIDIA.
