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3D printing startup focuses on residential and community housing typologies.
A new entrant to Australia’s emerging construction technology sector, xbuild is positioning itself within the offsite conversation by focusing on on-site additive construction, targeting early deployment across residential and community housing. (main image: Render of a single-storey residential dwelling representing the typology xbuild is targeting, where 3D printed wall systems are integrated into conventional housing design and construction workflows.)
Founded approximately 12 months ago, the business is led by Ben Sinclair, whose background spans carpentry and construction-adjacent software before returning to the sector with a focus on 3D printing.
“I’m a carpenter by trade,” Sinclair said. “I worked in construction early, moved into software, but the intention was always to bring technology back into building.”
The company’s initial approach centres on delivering printed wall systems rather than complete buildings, positioning the process as a substitute for labour-intensive trades such as bricklaying and blockwork.
“It’s never going to replace traditional construction,” Sinclair said. “It complements it by removing pressure from trades that are currently unavailable.”
Early deployment using robotic printing systems
In the absence of locally deployed large-format systems, xBuild has sourced robotic arm-based printers through its APAC distribution partnership with AVENCO, allowing it to move into active site delivery ahead of larger global systems entering the Australian market.
The machines are skid-mounted and designed for rapid mobilisation, enabling deployment within existing site conditions without extended setup periods.
“We can deploy on site, set up in about an hour, and start printing straight away,” Sinclair said. “Compared to gantry systems that can take weeks to set up and remove, that’s where we see our advantage.”
For a current residential configuration, the company estimates a total wall area of 215 square metres, printed at approximately 5 square metres per hour. This equates to 43 hours of printing, with an additional six hours for machine repositioning across six moves, resulting in a total print duration of approximately 49 hours.
That output places structural wall completion within a two-day window.
“Speed is a key factor,” Sinclair said. “We can build the wall structures in roughly 48 hours, which reduces disruption to other trades and compresses overall site timelines.”
The system also incorporates service cavities and penetrations during the print process, reducing the need for secondary trade intervention.
“All services are designed into the print,” Sinclair said. “We create the cavities and pathways during the process rather than after.”
Path to scale and alignment with global platforms
Alongside its current deployment model, xbuild has secured an Australian pathway to larger-scale systems through its relationship with ICON, with Sinclair indicating expected availability from 2027.
“We’ve built a relationship with ICON and placed deposits,” he said. “The intention is to use those systems for larger greenfield developments once they’re ready for Australia.”
This staged approach reflects how the company is entering the market. Smaller robotic systems are being deployed across residential projects in Queensland and New South Wales, while longer-term ambitions extend to estate-scale development using higher-capacity platforms.
The company is targeting a mix of typologies, with an emphasis on community housing alongside standard residential builds.
“We’re focusing heavily on community housing,” Sinclair said. “Fast, affordable delivery in regional areas is where we see this making the most impact.”
While still at an early stage, the model places xbuild within a subset of construction technology firms attempting to bridge site-based delivery with more controlled, repeatable construction processes.
“We’re not solving the housing crisis on our own,” Sinclair said. “But we think this is one way to contribute meaningfully to it.”
Find xbuild HERE
