ICON, a construction 3D printing company based out of Austin, Texas, will reportedly be laying off over 100 staff members this March. The firm, which is known for 3D printing housing developments across Texas, stated its intention in a Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) notice filed with the Texas Workforce Commission this week.
We’ve followed ICON closely over the years, since its construction 3D printing technologies—comprising the Vulcan gantry system for single-story homes and the newer Phoenix robotic system, capable of multi-level builds—have proven to be viable for manufacturing habitable homes. Earlier this year, for instance, eight 3D printed homes manufactured by ICON went on sale in Wimberley Springs, a development just south of Austin, Texas. The company has also been working on a number of other construction projects, including the first 3D printed hotel and residences in Marfa, Texas, and the expansion of the Community First! Village with the construction of 100 new homes. This initiative, in partnership with Mobile Loaves & Fishes, seeks to eventually provide housing to 1,800 formerly unhoused people.
Manufacturing on Demand
El Cosmico guest accommodations in Marfa, Texas
In the WARN notice filed by ICON, the company said it would be laying off 114 workers, resulting in a significant downsize of its labor force, which Austin Business Journal estimates is currently in the range of 400 employees. WARN notices are a requirement put in place by the U.S. Department of Labor that ensure companies disclose at least 60 days in advance their plans to conduct significant layoffs or downsizing.
According to a statement shared by ICON with media about the imminent layoffs, the decision was made to “re-align” its team size to “focus on [its] highest priorities and continue to invest in [its] best growth opportunities.” The company adds that its highest priority now is to advance the development of its Phoenix multi-level 3D printers and to get the technology into the hands of builders. ICON says: “While our mission remains to develop these intelligent machines to build humanity’s future, we will continue to design and build a selection of key projects across residential, hospitality, social/affordable and those within the Department of Defense with a more streamlined team.”
Watch this space for updates on ICON’s future plans and how the March 8 layoffs will effect its operations and ongoing projects.
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Author: Tess Boissonneault
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