Alec, one of the UAE’s leading construction groups, has collaborated with Hilti, a multinational construction manufacturing company, to pilot Jaibot, a first-of-its-kind semi-autonomous robot in the UAE and the wider GCC region that increases the efficiency of drilling tasks.

Since March 2019, Alec has been working with Hilti to test the robot’s productivity on a number of its projects, including the flagship One Za’abeel in Dubai.

Alec is the main contractor of One Za’abeel, which will see retail, residential, hospitality and offices come together as part of its mixed-use status, giving its guests, tenants and visitors an unparalleled 360-degree view of the city.

On the pilot project, CEO Kez Taylor said: “It is incredibly exciting to witness the transformation of the construction industry up close through our collaboration with Hilti. We are passionate about continually championing innovation and digital transformation in the industry, and via Jaibot, we can see how the future of construction is shaped, whilst unlocking new levels of efficiency in our processes.”

The Hilti Jaibot is a robot that helps add more productivity to installation in projects. This innovative construction robot takes over installation execution, while allowing project manager to track project progress and status through data, he explained.

Using digital plans, the Jaibot marks and drills holes, relieving construction workers from the strenuous task of overhead drilling and allowing them to focus on operation of the construction robot, he added.

Alemco General Manager Nathan Hanns said: “We have witnessed great improvements in productivity, quality and safety upon using Jaibot for One Za’abeel and our other sites.”

“The accuracy and efficiency in the installation process has demonstrated the value of being 3D driven as an organisation.”