A Walmart in Alabama has become the second store of its kind to utilize 3D printing for a massive expansion project.
As documented by construction expert Jarrett Gross (@automateconstruction), one Colorado-based construction company is looking to change the way that people view large-scale construction projects. Alquist 3D undertook a 5,000 square foot expansion project at a Walmart location in Huntsville, Alabama.
The company was able to construct the majority of the surrounding walls of the project in less than a week. To do so, Alquist 3D used a small crew of five workers alongside two large 3D printing robots. "All of this work they completed in only six days," Gross said as he toured the project site.
Patrick Callahan, CEO of Alquist 3D, emphasized the efficiency and effectiveness of 3D printed construction projects. "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 for retail and other industries," Callahan said.
In 2024, a Walmart location in Athens, Tennessee, constructed an 8,000-square-foot expansion to its existing structure using Alquist 3D's printing technology. According to a press release, the project was touted as "one of the largest free-standing, 3D-printed commercial concrete structures in the United States. The addition was built as an online pickup center for Walmart customers.
Using the same technology, the Huntsville Walmart expansion project was not only able to be constructed with blazing speed, but it also helped reduce waste. "This second project clearly demonstrates how retail expansions can be faster, more cost-effective and less wasteful, paving the way for broader adoption for large-scale commercial builds," Callahan added.
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According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, over 600 million tons of construction and demolition waste were produced in 2018. This includes steel, wood products, drywall and plaster, asphalt, and concrete debris. Many of these materials can be non-organic, limiting their ability to break down over time.
As noted by Alquist 3D, the use of 3D printing reduced material waste by 55% and used just 75% of the supplied material. This can go a long way in keeping costs down and waste out of our landfills.
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