KEWAZO will be at the Shutdowns Turnarounds Superconference in Houston on May 6-7, 2026. The two-day STO conference, organized by the American Conference Institute at the Hilton Houston North, brings together turnaround professionals from across the refining and petrochemical industry.

Meet the KEWAZO team at the conference

The KEWAZO team will be on-site throughout both days. If you are planning a turnaround in 2026 or 2027 and want to understand how robotic material handling could affect your schedule, crew size, or safety performance, come find us.

How does turnaround automation change the equation?

Turnarounds operate under compressed timelines where every hour of delay carries significant cost. Scaffolding sits directly on the critical path, and when erection falls behind, downstream trades stall.

The challenge goes beyond speed. The skilled labor shortage across heavy industry means contractors often work with smaller crews than planned. The result: longer erection times, more fatigue-related incidents, and pressure on schedules.

LIFTBOT, KEWAZO's battery-powered robotic lifting system, addresses this. A task that traditionally required a full passing chain of workers can be handled by a smaller crew with LIFTBOT doing the vertical transport. Setup takes about 20 minutes, and the system operates at up to 138 feet per minute.

Results from real turnaround deployments

LIFTBOT has been deployed at major turnaround and maintenance projects across the U.S., including sites operated by ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and LyondellBasell. At CP Chem Orange, working alongside Kiewit, the system contributed to a 22% schedule reduction on reinsulation scope. At PBF, LIFTBOT continued operating in 35-37 mph winds when cranes had to shut down.

The value extends beyond scaffolding. Any turnaround activity that involves repeated vertical material transport, whether insulation, fireproofing, or mechanical components, benefits from the same approach. Fewer manual lifts means fewer injuries, less fatigue, and more predictable timelines. You can see more deployment examples on the KEWAZO case studies page.

Meet the KEWAZO team at the conference

The KEWAZO team will be on-site throughout both days. If you are planning a turnaround in 2026 or 2027 and want to understand how robotic material handling could affect your schedule, crew size, or safety performance, come find us.

Register at americanconference.com and use code P10-999-KEW26 to save 10%.