PaintJet’s initiative in developing oversized industrial robots designed for extensive painting assignments represents a notable innovation within the sector. These robots are positioned to transform the effectiveness and accuracy of expansive paint projects within industrial environments, offering improvements in both swiftness and excellence.
(Image Source: Techcrunch.com)
The next big area of robotics investment is construction. About eight million people in the United States are employed by the $2 trillion industry, equivalent to approximately one New York City. Due to the physical demands and other possible risks, these professions can be challenging to fill even during prosperous economic times.
Automation of industrial painting is ideally suited. More significant projects include quite a bit of heavy machinery, after all. PaintJet has created movies that demonstrate the continued use of these outdated processes but with an automated twist. The Nashville firm Bravo’s robotic painter, unveiled in October, resembles a mobile raised work platform (cherry picker).
The startup has announced that it has secured a Series A funding round of ten million dollars, with Outsiders Fund as the lead investor. Other investors include 53 Stations, Pathbreaker Ventures, MetaProp, Builders VC, and VSC Ventures. The capital round brings the total amount of funding for the company to $14.75 million, following a seed investment of $3.5 million that was sponsored by Dynamo Ventures.
As one might expect, co-founder and CEO Nick Hegeman highlights persistent staffing problems as the main reason for the rise. The statement states, “The focus goes beyond automation; it involves reshaping industry benchmarks, tackling workforce shortages, and presenting cost-effective solutions that challenge conventional painting practices.” “We appreciate our investors’ support in furthering our objectives, enabling us to expand into fresh markets and sectors.”
While the Bravo reveal in October, the business also unveiled its Alpha Shield paint, claiming it may lengthen the interval between repaints while reducing typical weather-related wear and tear.
Of course, PaintJet is one of many businesses trying to get industrial painting done by robots. Painting arms is available from Gray Matter in several scales. The massive Japanese robotic arm manufacturer Fanuc has already unveiled solutions, but they have yet to be able to scale the kinds of structures PaintJet is targeting with Bravo.
The startup’s primary user base consists of construction companies. Prologis, Clayco, Layton Construction, and Brinkmann Constructors are among its clients.
PaintJet employs just 24 people full-time, which is a low headcount. Staffing up sales and operations will be one use of some of the additional funding. Hegeman adds that “to support our entry in the marine business and increase engineering headcount to scale our technology stack for wider distribution,” the company is also relocating its headquarters from Nashville to Virginia.
To summarize, PaintJet’s efforts to develop sizable industrial robots to manage substantial painting assignments represent a notable leap forward in the industry. These robots are on the brink of reshaping how efficiently and precisely extensive paint projects are executed in industrial settings, offering significant enhancements in speed and quality, potentially revolutionizing practices within this sector.
