New kit promises to assist in construction of factory-made housing

SMALL and medium-sized construction businesses (SMEs) in the Highlands and Islands are being invited to book a demonstration of new equipment that promises to assist in the production of factory-made housing.

The equipment – based at the Inverness campus of the University of the Highlands and Islands – includes high-precision cutting gear and what is being described as a “conditioning chamber to ensure materials remain at the correct humidity and temperature”, plus a ‘sawmill simulator’ designed to train staff on [the] use of equipment while minimising waste.

Behind the initiative is a local facility called Make it Smart Hub, “designed to allow these [construction] businesses to explore, learn and connect with the latest ideas, technologies, process, skills and other resources so that they can make business decisions that will allow them to keep up advancements in the sector”.

Says an announcement from Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (formerly the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre), which leads MiSH: “SMEs in construction and manufacturing in the region are encouraged to book a demonstration of the new equipment – free of charge [via [email protected]] – with technical staff.

“These experts will be on hand to demonstrate the equipment and answer any queries, as well as share more about the innovation centre’s ambition to accelerate decarbonisation. 

“This try-before-you-buy model will enable these companies to make more informed decisions about which technologies to invest in to scale up their product offering.”

Picture credit: BE-ST

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