Hyundai E&C, Samsung C&T join hands to develop construction robots

Memorandum of understanding between Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. and Samsung C&T Corp. at Hyundai E&C headquarters on April 11. [Photo provided by Samsung C&T]

South Korean construction majors Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (Hyundai E&C) and Samsung C&T Corp. have joined hands to establish an ecosystem for construction robots in an effort to respond to the changing business environment and improve competitiveness in winning overseas orders.

The two companies on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Hyundai E&C headquarters in Gye-dong, northern Seoul, on the establishment and joint research and development.

Although the two companies had previously worked together to win orders in the Middle East, it is the first time for Hyundai E&C and Samsung C&T, the top two players in the local construction industry, to sign a MoU for technology development.

Under the MoU, the companies plan to establish an ecosystem for construction robots, promote joint research and development in robots for safety and productivity, improve technology competitiveness of construction robots by sharing robots developed by each company, and forge ties to expand network.

The partnership for future key technology research and development comes as Hyundai E&C and Samsung C&T are seeking to respond to the changing environment in the local construction sites and enhance competitiveness in winning overseas orders.

The two companies have focused their development capacity on the construction robotics sector to tackle issues such as reinforced safety rules and overall aging society and reduced skilled workforce. The latest MoU is expected to allow the companies to share their knowhow and expand utilization of construction robots for processes that involve repetitive tasks and sites with high safety risks.