Kenrobotech Corporation
Representative Director, President and CEO
Mr. Tatsuya Mabe

(hereafter "Kenrobotech") is a venture company born in Kagawa Prefecture with the mission of "creating the world's most human-friendly construction sites. The company is a venture company born in Kagawa Prefecture that provides originally developed solutions aimed at "improving productivity" and "reducing the workload of workers" at construction sites. From its inception, the company had its sights set on global expansion, and in 2023 it established a subsidiary in Singapore.

Challenges in the field where master craftsmen's skills are not fully utilized

I founded this company to create the world's easiest construction site. That is why it was important for us to appeal in Japan that we were looking to the world from the start and to gather colleagues in Kagawa who would work with us in global expansion," says Tatsuya Mabe of Kenrobotech. Mr. Tatsuya Mabe of Kenrobotech explains. Mr. Mabe's motivation came when he joined his father's construction company and learned about the reality of construction sites in Japan. Craftsmen, who had worked for a long time as apprentices and had developed advanced construction skills, were being pressed into carrying loads of building materials, tying foundations, and performing other relatively simple but enormous tasks due to a chronic shortage of human resources. It is frustrating that craftspeople cannot fully utilize their skills in woodworking and chopping that can be done within a few millimeters of error, which is possible only with skilled craftspeople. This is why we must realize a world in which the burden on craftsmen working on construction sites is reduced and their productivity is improved. To this end, we would like to develop solutions that are close to the craftsmen working on construction sites and spread them around the world. This is how Kenrobotech was founded.

Creating Robots to Accommodate Craftsmen

The robots developed by Kenrobotech were all born from the voices of craftsmen in charge of their respective construction sites. For example, foundation rebar is made by repeatedly carrying long, heavy rebar, arranging it in an even grid, and tying the intersections with wire while bending at the waist, a process that is very physically demanding. In response to the voices of craftsmen working on site, we developed the "Carrying Tomorobo" and "Rebar Binding Tomorobo," which automatically carry and bundle rebar. The name "Tomorobo" was derived from the company's desire to create a product that would be a friend to craftspeople on site. The "Seaming K2" was developed in alliance with a roofing company to support the difficult task of caulking steel plate joints. We didn't develop the robot to take away the craftsman's work. We are not developing robots to take away the work of craftsmen, but to give them more time to perform their craftsmanship. That is why it is important to develop products that craftspeople who support the work site will want to continue handling at any site and that will be appreciated by the craftspeople," says Mabe.

Establishment of a base for global expansion

On the other hand, the environment surrounding construction sites differs from country to country. Even if you want to understand the current situation in each country, it is not an easy world to join a group of people who do not know the stakeholders when you venture into it on your own. That is why Jianrobotech took advantage of the "GIA (GlobalInnovationAlliance)" that RIVERNESS is implementing with the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Singapore Enterprise Board to accelerate industrial exchange and create new businesses between Japan and Singapore. The program includes the largest exhibition in Southeast Asia. As part of this program, we met with the Singapore Ministry of Building and Construction (BCA) at SWITCH, the largest exhibition in Southeast Asia, and received cooperation in preparing a demonstration site, cooperation in developing the project in Singapore, and introductions to other construction companies in Southeast Asia. The company succeeded in building a relationship with the BCA. Thus, KENROBOTECH decided to establish a base in Singapore as the first step to expand its business to the world. Once again with the support of RIVERNESS SINGAPORE, KENROBOTECH established KENROBOTECHASIAPTE.LTD. in February 2023 after formulating a strategy for a local subsidiary, communicating with the professional personnel required for the establishment, selecting an accounting firm, arranging a local office, and preparing to open a bank account.

By putting yourself on the front lines, you can see the depth of the issues.

Currently, Kenrobotech has begun demonstration tests with government-affiliated developers in order to promote regulatory compliance outside of Japan, while utilizing its Singapore base. Our goal of creating the world's easiest construction sites has only just begun. On the other hand, by establishing bases overseas and gathering first-hand information on issues at construction sites in various countries, we have learned that issues are spreading due to factors different from those in Japan," he said. The causes of construction site issues in each country are completely different depending on the country, climate, and workers. In Southeast Asia, for example, most construction site workers are immigrants, many of whom work not to hone their skills but to survive. Some are motivated and proud of their work, but they are few in number and inefficient. Even with the same shortage of human resources, the challenges are caused by different factors than in Japan. On the other hand, Southeast Asia is in the midst of a construction boom, and within Singapore alone, there is a chronic shortage of 300,000 simple workers. That is why we are based on the ground, gathering primary information on the front lines as early as possible and working with our colleagues to imagine how to provide solutions. This strategic global challenge, which starts with a vision, is certainly beginning to create the construction sites of the future, one step at a time. (Text: Yuzen Kodama)