3D Printing Construction Market Research Report: By Construction Method (Extrusion, Powder Bonding), Material Type (Concrete, Metal, Composite), End Use (Building, Infrastructure) - Global Industry Analysis and Growth Forecast to 2030

Market Overview

The global 3D printing construction market generated ~$15 million revenue in 2020. The major factors responsible for the growth of the market are the growing environmental concerns regarding the waste generated by the construction industry and presence of more possibilities for customization and architectural flexibility using this technology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and partial factory closures negatively impacted the construction industry across the globe. As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, with the sudden imposition of lockdowns, construction activities have been on halt for months in major economies, such as China, the U.K., and India, which led to the shutting down of various construction projects. Nonetheless, since the last quarter of 2020, the market has started recovering and initiated a growth trend.

Extrusion Category Is Projected to Generate Higher Revenue due to High Demand for Concrete Materials

The 3D printing construction market is categorized into extrusion and powder bonding, based on construction method. of the two categories, the extrusion construction category is projected to generate the higher revenue . The key reason behind the popularity of the method is the high demand for concrete in the extrusion 3D printing method in building and infrastructure sectors.

Due to Increasing Need for Affordable Housing, Building Category is Expected to Witness Higher CAGR during Forecast Period

In 3D printing construction market, the building category is expected to grow at the higher growth rate during the forecast period, based on end-user sector. This will mainly be due to the growing construction sector in developing countries and surging need for affordable housing.

Increasing Presence of Major Players Led to Dominance of Asia-Pacific (APAC) on Market

Geographically, APAC was the largest contributor to the 3D printing construction market in 2020. This is mainly attributed to the rising number of buildings being constructed using this advanced technology and increasing research and development activities. The building and infrastructure sectors are the major consumers of 3D-printable construction materials in the region. Moreover, the strong presence of a large number of construction firms is another key factor for the market growth in the region.

Improved Construction Materials and Methods are Key Trend in the Market for 3D Printing Construction

The development of robotic arm extruders and the sand 3D printing and metal technologies is leading to new methods of construction. One of the biggest benefits of 3D printing in construction is the ease of creating complex and unusual designs and shapes, over traditional construction methods. For instance, in May 2021, BigRep and BASF SE’s additive manufacturing arm, Forward AM, launched a new architecture-oriented 3D printing material. The Concrete Formwork filament is designed to enable the creation of complex supports for precast concrete at lower costs and lead times than normal building methods allow. Using BigRep’s STUDIO G2 3D printer and new polymer, the companies are planning to construct a concrete staircase, to showcase the material’s design and efficiency potential.

Growing Environmental Concerns to Drive Market

The construction industry is responsible for the generation of a significant amount of waste. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states in its U.K. Statistics on Waste report that in 2016, the U.K. generated 221.0 million tons of waste. Construction, demolition, and excavation activities were responsible for 59% of the total waste. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that in 2018, the construction industry of the U.S. produced about 600 million tons of debris.

With the usage of 3D printing for construction, the wastage can be minimized to a huge extent, as the technology only uses the material required to print the structure. Moreover, 3D printers use materials that are lighter than traditional building materials; thus, transporting them saves energy.

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Market Players are Demonstrating their Capabilities to Widen their Customer Base

The market for 3D printing construction is consolidated in nature. Some of the major players in the market are Yingchuang Building Technique (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Xtreee, Cybe construction, Mx3D, and Beijing Huashang Luhai Technology.

In recent years, players in the 3D printing construction market have been entering emerging economies to widen their customer base. For instance:

• In February 2021, Yingchuang Building Technique (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. printed the new office of the Dubai Municipality. It is the first 3D-printed commercial building, and it has its name in the Guinness Book of World Records. The structure has a height of three meters and a width of 13 meters.
• In November 2019, Larsen & Toubro Limited completed India’s first 3D-printed two-storey building. Having a floor space of 65 m², the building was fabricated using a large-format concrete 3D printer supplied by COBOD International A/S. It is made of a locally sourced 3D-printable concrete mix developed by L&T. The building is located at the company’s Kanchipuram facility near the city of Chennai.

Some Key Players in 3D Printing Construction Market Are:

Market Size Breakdown by Segments

The 3D printing construction market report offers comprehensive market segmentation analysis along with market estimation for the period 2015-2030.

Based on Construction Method

• Extrusion
• Powder Bonding

Based on Material Type

• Concrete
• Metal
• Composite

Based on End Use

• Building
• Infrastructure

Geographical Analysis

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • U.K.
  • Denmark
  • Russia
• Asia-Pacific (APAC)
  • Japan
  • China
  • India
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • Saudi Arabia
  • U.A.E.

Market Segment Analysis of Countries

• Further breakdown of 16 listed countries will be provided as per below segmentation:
  • By construction method
  • By material type
  • By end use