Featured in Engineering News-Record

ENR’s April 2025 cover story, “The Right Tool for the Job Might Be a Robot,” features KEWAZO as one of five robotics companies now in active use with U.S. contractors. The article was written by Jeff Yoders and Deputy Editor Jeff Rubenstone.

Robotics in Construction

The article makes the case that construction robots have moved past the early-adopter stage. KEWAZO appears alongside Dusty Robotics, Canvas, Raise Robotics, and Nextera Robotics. Unlike general-purpose robots that require VDC teams to operate, all five companies build machines designed around a single job site task, from layout printing to drywall finishing to material lifting. Contractors including Gilbane Building Co., DPR Construction, and RQ Construction are already using them on active projects. The driving problem is the same across all five: not enough skilled workers, and too much of their time spent on repetitive, physically demanding work that slows down schedules.

LIFTBOT at the U.S. Capitol

The article covers LIFTBOT’s deployment during the facade reconstruction of the U.S. Capitol with Scaffold Resource. Bill Schikner, Vice President at Scaffold Resource, told ENR:

“The speed of material delivery using LIFTBOT, along with its ability to meet the Architect of the Capitol’s expectations for safety and quality, made it a good fit for the job.”

LIFTBOT is remote-controlled and does not require guardrails to be moved or modified. It lifts scaffolding segments and building materials along a vertical rail as the scaffold is assembled.

Why Material Transport

CEO Artem Kuchukov on replacing cranes at industrial sites:

“Improving safety comes first. The second thing is improving productivity on site. Especially when it comes to industrial sites, we see a lot of jobs being done with cranes. To replace those cranes is a big advantage.”

Kuchukov on the idea behind KEWAZO:

“Construction is all about just two activities. One is how you put things together vertically, horizontally in an additive process, like Lego for adults. The second process is, how do you get this material where it needs to be?”

About KEWAZO

KEWAZO develops robotics and AI solutions for heavy industry, with offices in Munich, Germany and Houston, Texas. LIFTBOT operates at industrial facilities across North America and Europe, replacing cranes and manual material handling during maintenance, turnarounds, and capital projects.

Read the full article on Engineering News-Record → https://www.enr.com/articles/59201-equipment-management-the-right-tool-for-the-job-might-be-a-robot