Holcim and British International Investment’s (BII) joint venture 14Trees and Chennai-based Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions have jointly developed Cedar concrete 3D printer designed for large-scale construction deployment.
Cedar is designed to work with locally available concrete mixes rather than the proprietary mortar-based materials that many existing 3D concrete printing systems require. The companies say this reduces material costs by up to 5x.
The machine supports printing heights of up to 10 m and an extendable footprint of up to 240 sq.m, covering applications from residential housing to industrial facilities. The system’s portal-frame architecture delivers printing volumes comparable to existing large-format construction printers at roughly half the capital investment.
AI-Driven System Optimizes Concrete 3D Printing
The cost structure of 3D concrete printing hardware has long been a barrier to wider adoption. Many systems require either significant upfront capital or expensive proprietary consumables that lock operators into single-supplier material chains. Cedar attempts to address both by combining a locally sourced materials approach with a hardware price point that the companies position as substantially below comparable large-format printers currently on the market.
A software layer the companies call the 14Trees AI Companion sits alongside the hardware, drawing on analysis of thousands of concrete mix designs to help project teams balance material performance against cost, structural requirements, and what is locally available.
Having developed and manufactured Cedar in India, Tvasta brings an existing product line that includes gantry, robotic-crawler, and robotic-pedestal printing systems, along with proprietary cementitious material formulations and process software.
14Trees’ origins shape where Cedar is likely to find its earliest traction. The company was founded in 2016 specifically to accelerate construction technology deployment in Africa, where it has delivered projects including the continent’s largest 3D printed housing project and the world’s first 3D printed school in Malawi. A 3D printer engineered around local material compatibility and a lower capital entry point fits that geography and others with similar infrastructure deficits.
The construction 3D printing market remains fragmented and largely pre-commercial at industrial scale. The more meaningful competitive question is not which 3D printer uses local materials, since several now do, but which can demonstrate consistent output quality and reliable unit economics across varied site conditions in emerging markets.
Cedar systems will be deployed and supported globally by 14Trees, covering design optimisation, materials development, operational training, and on-site project delivery. The real test will come from developers and contractors running the system outside controlled conditions, in markets where concrete mix variability and local labour dynamics rarely behave the way specification sheets anticipate.
Technical specifications and pricing
Interested readers can learn more about technical specifications, deployment proposals and pilot programs, here.
| Printing Height | 10 m |
| Extendable Length | 20 m |
| Print Speed (Up To) | 250 mm/s |
| Frame | Portal System |
| Hose Pipe | 3 in |
| Hose Management | Advanced |
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Featured image shows the Cedar portal-frame concrete 3D printer shown alongside its concrete mixing and pumping unit. Image via 14Trees | Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions.
