SHELLFORM TECHNOLOGIES

Structure unchanged Process reinvented

The ShellForm™ System: factory-integrated, hollow, stay-in-place cementitious assemblies with reinforcement, conduits and boxes, and any specified insulation fitted, corners formed as single units, and standard units stockable. On site, connect the reinforcement and place the concrete, as on any conventional reinforced-concrete project.

Non-structural by design. Structure and code path unchanged

OUR VISION

Cars and phones reach every market in the world as the same product. Buildings cannot.

A reinforced-concrete building can be replicated locally, but it cannot go global as the same product: it answers to its codes, its climate, its structural conditions, its approval path, and the chain of engineering responsibility behind it.

What repeats in every market is not the building. It is the delivery workflow behind it: temporary support, formwork, reinforcement placement, embedded items and MEP coordination, concrete placement and curing, stripping, insulation, plastering, and finishes.

That recurring delivery workflow is the true unit of industrialization for reinforced concrete.

We founded ShellForm Technologies to industrialize it: keep the design, the code path, the approvals and responsibility chain, and the site-cast structural core local; turn the repeatable site work behind the building into an industrialized product system that adapts to each market.

Building stays local. Delivery can be global

Transform the way the world builds

Hao (Catherine) CaiFounder & President, ShellForm Technologies Inc.

in · LinkedIn

THE SHELLFORM™ SYSTEM AT A GLANCE

The repeatable trades arrive from the factory.
The structure is cast in place.

Three steps, one system: factory integration, site connection, and a conventional pour. What results is cast-in-place reinforced concrete, on its own code path.

01INTEGRATED IN THE FACTORY

Five site trades are completed in the factory; decorative finish is an optional sixth.

Formwork function and ties, reinforcement, conduits, boxes and embeds, insulation, and the finish substrate, in one factory pass, inside a hollow cementitious composite shell. Shear walls, columns, beams, slabs, and L-, T-, U-shaped corners: one assembly family.

02CONNECTED ON SITE

Light units are set with a light-duty crane, every bar visible in the open cavity.

A typical wall assembly weighs under 1 tonne and is set by a light-duty crane, about five minutes from the truck to its position. Members splice to each other and to conventional cast-in-place work by lap splices or mechanical couplers; every bar and embed is visible before the pour.

03CAST IN PLACE, FLOOR BY FLOOR

Conventional concrete is placed; the result is a conventional monolithic structure.

All members set, the floor is cast in continuous placement, as any cast-in-place floor. The reinforcement cage and the site-cast concrete carry the load: one monolithic structure, on the same design and code path as any cast-in-place building.

WHAT SETS IT APART

Where the ShellForm™ System stands alone

The only stay-in-place system for cast-in-place concrete that ships with reinforcement, conduits and boxes, and specified insulation fitted, corners pre-formed, and standard units stockable.¹ Cast wet on one reconfigurable fixture with connectors anchored in the panel; every member type on one line, no project-specific molds.

Typically reduces

30%

structural-phase schedule, compressed versus conventional cast-in-place baselines

Reduces up to

80%

on-site labor hours for main structural works; in labor-constrained markets, read as structural-phase throughput gains for existing crews

Floor cycle

3 to 4 days

per floor for the structural phase, one cycle repeating upward; each wall assembly set by a 3-person crew

Installation time

≈ 5 min

per wall assembly, from unloading off the truck to set in position, in typical site conditions; under 1 tonne, roughly one-fifth of solid, lifted by a light-duty crane

¹ Among the eight delivery systems compared on this page, to our knowledge as of 2026. Indicative, from delivered-project data versus conventional cast-in-place baselines for main structural works; setting time for a typical 3 × 3 × 0.2 m wall assembly. Outcomes vary by building type, height, local labor structure, and adoption scope.

Integrated like prefab. Designed as cast-in-place.

Reinforcement, conduits and boxes, and any specified insulation are already inside, and L-, T-, and U-shaped corners arrive as single units, yet the assembly carries no load. The building’s structural design and its approval path stay conventional: the approved cast-in-place design is used as issued, with no structural redesign.

Hollow: light to transport, and stockable.

Under 1 tonne for a typical wall unit: standard trucks and cranes, 500 to 1,000 km by road, and sea freight where the economics support it. Standard units can be held in stock and configured to order, which project-engineered load-bearing prefabrication cannot do.

One line, every member type, no project-specific molds.

A reconfigurable assembly fixture, reused across sizes and projects, forms walls, corners, columns, beams, and slabs on one line; straight members form in one wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip.

Open before the pour. Accountable after it.

Every bar, embed, and connection is visible in the open cavity before concrete is placed; every unit carries a QR record of what went into it, with material and embodied-carbon accounting at component level, carbon included. The panel formulation runs 50 to 70% low-carbon constituents, and stay-in-place panels take single-use formwork and its waste off the site, supporting LCA, EPD, and LEED documentation.

THE FOUR ADVANTAGES IN TEN DETAILS · FROM FACTORY TO SITE

WHAT WE DO

ShellForm Technologies supplies the system. Contractors build with it.

Directly at market entry; through qualified local partners at scale.

THE COMPANY

The technology company behind the system

ShellForm Technologies Inc., a US company, holds the system’s international brand, IP, and certifications, and directs its technology roadmap. Project delivery stays with local contractors on the conventional code path.

WHAT WE SUPPLY

Materials, fixtures, equipment, licensing

ShellForm™ assemblies for projects; proprietary cementitious composite material and connectors; assembly fixtures on lease; production-line equipment and specifications; plant qualification and licensed production. Ordinary concrete, reinforcement, and commodity materials stay local by design.

WHO PRODUCES

Direct supply first, local production at scale

At market entry, assemblies ship directly from the established production base and market partners hold regional stock. As demand proves out, partner factories produce in-market as listed locations under ShellForm-held evaluations; partner capital builds market capacity.

PROOF

Proven across a decade

A decade of development and delivery in the system's market of origin, with 1,000,000+ m² of GFA delivered, backed by proprietary technology, an industry technical standard, and industry recognition.

PROOF AND STATUS

A decade of the system. Since 2026, ShellForm Technologies Inc. is its international platform

Since 2014

system development launched in its market of origin; projects delivered since 2016; governing industry standard co-authored in 2018

1,000,000+

m² of GFA delivered across building types and seismic zones up to 0.30g

70+

patents and applications across the full value chain

2026

ShellForm Technologies Inc. founded in the US as the system’s international platform, holding its global brand, IP, and certifications

US and Australia · evaluation in progressEurope · ETA route in progressFirst European pilot · shipped 2026, in transitEPD · in preparation

Certification and pilot status is kept current in Where we are.

THE FULL STORY

Six chapters, from what we make to how we work

CHAPTER 1

The System

What is inside the product, layer by layer; the load path; the member family; below grade; thermal and finish modules; proprietary panels and connectors.

CHAPTER 2

Production

One wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip; the scope of supply for greenfield or retrofit lines.

CHAPTER 3

Delivery

Logistics, installation step by step, inspection before and after the pour, traceability with carbon data, and design without redesign.

CHAPTER 4

Why ShellForm

The field-capacity bottleneck, the integration trade-off, eight systems side by side, and where the value concentrates.

CHAPTER 5

How we work

The company, who we serve, the delivery ecosystem, stock, cost logic, from proof to scale, and where we are.

CHAPTER 6

Projects and proof

A decade of delivered projects, the timeline, and the gallery.

CHAPTER 1 · THE SYSTEM All chapters

The delivery layer arrives from the factory. The structure is cast on site

What is inside the assembly, what carries the load, and how one member family covers a whole building, from the foundations up.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

Integrated, non-structural. Reinforcement, insulation, and services are inside; the panels and connectors carry no load, so the structural design and code path stay conventional.
One family, corners included. Straights, L-, T-, and U-shaped corners, columns, beams, slabs, and foundations, with corners formed as single units.
Open, traceable, low-carbon. The cavity stays open until the pour; every unit leaves the factory with its own record; the panel formulation runs 50 to 70% low-carbon constituents.

CHAPTER 1·NOT PREFAB

The structure stays cast in place. The trades move to the factory.

For most of the world’s cast-in-place reinforced concrete, delivery is not yet industrialized at scale. Formwork, rebar, embeds, insulation, and plaster still arrive as separate trades, sequenced, coordinated, and executed largely by hand on site.

The ShellForm™ System moves those repeatable trades into the factory as hollow, stay-in-place assemblies: a cementitious composite shell with the reinforcement cage, connectors, insulation, and conduits already inside, arriving ready for the pour. The load-bearing core is still cast monolithically on site.

SCOPE · CONTINUITYOccupied building structures: residential, hospitality, affordable housing, and public buildings; steel and timber framing follow their own paths. Continuity between assemblies, and with conventional cast-in-place or other systems, follows the project’s structural design and applicable codes.

FACTORY · INSULATED T-SHAPED ASSEMBLY LIFT

FACTORY · L-SHAPED ASSEMBLY, SIDE VIEW · BEFORE TRANSPORT TO SITE
STAY-IN-PLACE FORMWORK, TIES, REBAR, INSULATION, CONDUITS, PLASTER BASE, AND FINISH COAT ALREADY FACTORY-INTEGRATED

CHAPTER 1·THE SHELLFORM™ ASSEMBLY

Factory-integrated layers. Site-cast structural core

1Interior PanelF

Cementitious composite, ≈ 20 mm; stay-in-place; finish substrate

2Conduits & BoxesF

Factory pre-installed conduits and boxes

3Rebar SpacersF

Maintain concrete cover; cast into the wet panel

4Reinforcement CageF●

Conventional cast-in-place rebar; pre-installed per structural design

5Galvanized Steel ConnectorsF

Maintain cavity geometry; not part of the final structural load path

6Insulation ConnectorsF

Retain insulation; locked in the cast-in-place concrete core

7Exterior PanelF

Cementitious composite, ≈ 20 mm; stay-in-place; exterior finish substrate

8Insulation BoardF

XPS or per project requirements

9Protective LayerF

Cementitious, 12 to 20 mm; shields insulation

10SITE-CAST STRUCTURAL CONCRETE · S ●
Structural concrete fills the cavity on site and forms the monolithic reinforced-concrete core. The final load path is the reinforcement cage plus site-cast concrete, and nothing else; all other factory-integrated components are non-structural delivery-layer components.

F Factory-integrated / pre-installedS Site-cast operation● Final structural load path

CHAPTER 1·THE SHELLFORM™ ASSEMBLY · THE LOAD PATH

The product is not the structure

Highlighted in the model: the cementitious composite panels and the galvanized steel connectors. Both are excluded from the structural calculation and carry no structural load. The reinforcement cage arrives factory pre-installed; the load is carried by the cage and the structural concrete, cast entirely on site, forming one monolithic structure.

CHAPTER 1·FACTORY-INTEGRATED SCOPE

1. Cementitious composite panels

Cementitious composite, ≈ 20 mm; serves as formwork, then stays as the plaster and finish substrate; non-load-bearing

CHAPTER 1·AS DESIGNED, AS BUILT

The assembled model, and the factory-produced unit

FACTORY-INTEGRATED TRADES

Formwork
Form ties
Rebar cage
Conduits & boxes
Insulation board
Plaster & decorative finishes

CHAPTER 1·THE MEMBER FAMILY

Shear walls, columns, beams, slabs,
and partitions in one system

ShellForm™ assemblies cover conventional cast-in-place reinforced-concrete structural systems, including shear wall, frame-shear wall, and frame-core tube configurations. Member geometries shown are representative;
final assemblies are configured to the project structural design.

THE MEMBER FAMILY · POSITION IN THE STRUCTURE, MEMBER BY MEMBER

Straight shear wall

The core hollow stay-in-place wall assembly: interior and exterior cementitious composite panels, galvanized steel connectors, a pre-positioned reinforcement cage, and an open cavity for on-site structural concrete placement.

CHAPTER 1·BELOW GRADE

The schedule advantage starts below grade

The same wall and column assemblies extend directly into foundations: strip footings, isolated footings, and continuous basement walls, from villas to commercial and industrial buildings.

Foundation configuration with wall and column assemblies

Column assemblypre-installed reinforcement cage

Wall assembly, second stepstay-in-place

Wall assembly, first stepstay-in-place

Reinforcement matfield-placed

Application scope

Large isolated footings, strip footings, and continuous basement walls; most valuable where excavation faces require vertical formwork, shoring, reinforcement tying, or column-base integration.

Monolithic continuous placement

Wall and column-base assemblies are positioned together; wall panels carry graded flow openings so concrete can flow into the connected cavities and fill them uniformly.

Lighter than solid precast

Hollow factory-made shells weigh a fraction of solid precast foundation units, easing transport, lifting, and installation; the footing is completed as one cast-in-place pour, without heavy precast-to-precast connections.

Schedule from the foundation up

Reduces scaffolding and on-site formwork setup along excavation faces, so the schedule benefit begins at the foundation and carries through the project.

Example configuration shown: a 4.0 × 4.0 m footing, 0.5 m deep, supporting an 840 mm column; dimensions are project-determined, not a system limit. Factory-produced cementitious composite panel faces and galvanized steel connectors are non-structural; the load path is the field-placed reinforcement plus site-cast concrete.

CHAPTER 1·THERMAL, FINISH & FAÇADE MODULES

Base assembly with optional thermal, finish, and façade-interface modules

Shown on a wall assembly as the illustrative case; the same thermal, finish, and façade-interface modules apply across the member family, configured to each project.

MODULE CONFIGURATIONS COMPARED · SHOWN ON A WALL ASSEMBLY

Modules are selected by requirements; the site-cast reinforced-concrete structural core remains unchanged.

1 · BASE ASSEMBLY

The core hollow stay-in-place unit

Shown as a wall: interior and exterior cementitious composite panels, galvanized steel connectors, a pre-positioned reinforcement cage, an open cavity for the structural pour, and embedded conduits and boxes where required.

+ · THERMAL MODULE

Insulation anchored by concrete, not adhesive

Full-length insulation connectors are set into the still-wet panels on both sides of the board and extend into the structural cavity, where the site-cast concrete encases them. Retention is mechanical, by connectors anchored in the structural concrete rather than by adhesive, so the insulation layer is designed to stay for the service life of the structure.¹

+ · FINISH / FAÇADE MODULE

Factory-integrated finish paths

Factory coating or paint, textured formliner, reverse-cast veneer in tile, stone, brick, or porcelain, and embedded façade or PV inserts, all integrated during factory panel production or at a factory finishing station.

¹ Insulated-wall system testing: accelerated weathering and freeze-thaw cycles with no delamination or spalling; panel-to-insulation bond above the tensile strength of the insulation board, under the test conditions.

PANEL THICKNESS

20 mm standard in current deployments; oversized members can be upsized to 25 mm or more where needed; 12 mm validated in controlled testing, deployment pending

CAVITY THICKNESS

Equals the structural wall thickness per design; the cavity is the cast-in-place structural core

The insulated cavity in detail: assembly model with full-length insulation connectors extending into the structural cavity. The rebar spacers shown are cast into the wet panel and maintain concrete cover.

Insulated cavity, factory unit — The same detail in the factory-produced unit: connectors, insulation, conduits, and reinforcement before the structural pour

CHAPTER 1·PROPRIETARY MATERIALS · 01 · STAY-IN-PLACE PANEL FACES

One proprietary material, two jobs:
formwork function, then finish substrate

The proprietary cementitious composite panel resists the fresh-concrete pour, stays permanently in place as the plaster and finish base, and carries no structural load. This dual role is the core of the ShellForm™ System.

20 mm standard in current deployments

12 mm validated in controlled testing, deployment pending

Dual function, non-structural by design

Non-structural stay-in-place panel faces resist fresh-concrete lateral pressure during the on-site structural pour, then stay permanently in place as the plaster and finish substrate; the panels are excluded from the structural calculation.

Performance

Supports on-site pours up to 6 m, placed in conventional lifts. Panels and galvanized steel connectors form an integrated system; panel thickness and connector spacing tune to the design pour.

Sustainability

The formulation incorporates 50 to 70% low-carbon constituents, and the permanent panels remove the need for separate reusable timber or aluminum formwork, cutting on-site material cycling and waste.

Raw material supply

In-house automated production of the proprietary cementitious composite dry mix, pre-batched to specification and supplied in 1.5-tonne bulk bags, with an installed design capacity of 1,200 tonnes per day; fibers and admixtures are supplied separately and dosed at mixing, when the dry mix is combined with water at the assembly facility.

RAW MATERIALS · DRY-MIX PRODUCTION LINE

Bulk bags at assembly facility — Bulk bags received at the assembly production facility

CHAPTER 1·PROPRIETARY MATERIALS · 02 · CONNECTORS

Proprietary galvanized steel connectors tie
the panel faces and maintain cavity geometry

Thin strip geometry

Each connector is a thin, flat galvanized steel strip. Its length matches the cavity dimension of each specific assembly, and lengths range across the product family to accommodate all member types.

On-edge orientation

Each connector spans panel face to panel face, standing vertically on its thin edge, in the same plane as the transverse reinforcement, so concrete placement and vibrator consolidation are not obstructed.

Pressure-based spacing

Spacing is denser in the lower zone of each member to resist higher fresh-concrete lateral pressure; standard spacing applies in the upper zone, set per the structural design and quality-control program.

Independent of reinforcement

Connectors tie the panel faces only and make no contact with the reinforcement cage, which is positioned independently by plastic rebar spacers embedded during factory panel production.

CHAPTER 2 · PRODUCTION All chapters

One wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip

How both panel faces and the integrated cage form on one line, on a reconfigurable assembly fixture instead of dedicated molds, and what a partner line needs.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

One line, one cure. Both faces and the cage form in one wet-state sequence with a single cure and no flip, so the line turns over once per straight assembly. The reconfigurable fixture set is reused across sizes and projects, where solid precast sets side forms or a dedicated mold per member geometry and double-wall needs two cures and a flip.
Whole family, one fixture. The same reconfigurable fixture adjusts height, width, cavity depth, and panel thickness, so one line makes walls, corners, columns, beams, and slabs.
Packaged supply. Fixtures on lease, proprietary materials and equipment from ShellForm, commodity inputs local; greenfield or retrofit.

CHAPTER 2·FACTORY PRODUCTION

Single-cure wet-state co-casting on one production line

A proprietary reconfigurable assembly fixture integrates the reinforcement cage, connectors, electrical boxes, insulation board, embeds, and optional modules, so both panel faces and the integrated cage form in one wet-state sequence before a single factory cure.

Mold-table system: fixed or traveling mold tables

Reconfigurable production platform

Adjusts height, width, cavity depth, and panel thickness for project-specific assemblies, without fixed molds.

Highly-integrated assembly fixture

Reinforcement cage, galvanized steel connectors, embeds, and optional modules, highly integrated in the offline-preloaded assembly fixture.

First panel face

Cast on the mold table.

Preloaded assembly fixture

The offline-preloaded assembly fixture, carrying the reinforcement cage, connectors, and embeds, is positioned onto the wet first panel.

Insulation, where specified

For insulated assemblies, the insulation board and full-length insulation connectors are placed after the first face, set into the still-wet panel.

Second panel face

Cast onto the assembly fixture, completing both faces in one wet-state sequence.

Single factory cure

One cure cycle for the whole assembly; no flipping.

Demold and transfer

Vacuum-lifter demolding; box inserts are then fitted into the factory-embedded electrical base boxes and conduit runs are connected, and the assembly fixture and mold table return to the cycle.

Single cure, no flip applies to straight assemblies. L- and T-shaped members, beams, and columns form in stages on the same line, on the same fixture principle.

SOLID PRECAST

Side forms set member by member

Side forms re-set or a dedicated mold per member geometry; cast a solid load-bearing member, steam cure, demold.

HOLLOW DOUBLE-WALL

Two casts, two cures, one flip

Cast and cure the first shell, cast the second, turn the first 180° onto it, then cure both.

SHELLFORM™ SYSTEM

One wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip

Both panel faces and the integrated cage form in one sequence on the highly-integrated assembly fixture.

THE DIFFERENCE

The product is not the structure

In solid precast and double-wall, the precast members are themselves load-bearing; in the ShellForm™ System the panels, connectors, and embeds are excluded from the structural calculation; the load is carried by the reinforcement cage and the site-cast structural concrete, forming one monolithic structure.

CURE CYCLES PER MEMBER · FACTORY ROUTES COMPARED · STRAIGHT SHEAR WALLS

Solid precast wall

1 cure · 8 to 12 h · side forms set per member

Hollow double-wall panel

2 cures · 8 to 12 h each · one flip between

ShellForm™ wall assembly

1 cure · 8 to 12 h · no flip · no dedicated molds

In effect: one cure cycle per straight assembly, no flip, on a reusable fixture set; solid precast sets side forms or a dedicated mold per member geometry, double-wall needs two cures and a flip.

For the ShellForm™ route, throughput per cure cycle and product flexibility come from the same assembly fixture.

Vacuum lifter engaging the assembly on the mold table — On the mold table: suction pads engage the cured assembly evenly across its face

Vacuum demolding, assembly leaving the mold table — Demolding: the assembly leaves the mold table for the A-frame rack

BEAMS, COLUMNS, AND L/T MEMBERS FORMED ON ONE LINE

The comparison is for straight members: both faces, connectors, cage, spacers, and embeds form without a flip. L- and T-shaped members form in stages on the same fixture principle, as single units, insulated where specified; a flip-based double-wall process is generally not able to form such corners as one unit.

CHAPTER 2·IN THE FACTORY · UP CLOSE · BEFORE SHIPMENT

Up close

Rebar spacers holding the cage at concrete cover

Held at cover. Rebar spacers, cast into the wet panel, hold the pre-positioned cage at its specified concrete cover. The cage and the galvanized steel connectors are separate systems: the connectors tie the panel faces and maintain cavity geometry, with no contact with the rebar.

Horizontal connection bars wire-tied in the factory

Placed to pull out. Horizontal connection bars are laid in and wire-tied at the factory; on site, once members are erected, the bars draw out to lap with the adjacent member.

Oversize assembly on the assembly upender

Turned by the upender. An oversize assembly is repositioned on the assembly upender ahead of transport; connector spacing and the internal build-up read clearly in section.

Clean steel for the voyage. Laser rust removal on the projecting bars before container packing for sea freight.

Factory trial assembly before an overseas shipment

A rehearsal, not a production step. Factory trial assembly ahead of an overseas shipment: tight butt joints on the outer face, hand-hole access on the inner face for the rebar connections, with fixing holes alongside for the hand-hole closures. Carried out for the first overseas shipment, verifying fit and tolerances before dispatch.

CHAPTER 2·PRODUCTION LINE SETUP

ShellForm™ System scope of supply, packaged for greenfield or retrofit lines

PROPRIETARY EQUIPMENT

LEASED FROM SHELLFORM

Wall assembly fixtures
Column and beam assembly fixtures

PURCHASED FROM SHELLFORM

Vacuum demolding lifter
Site assembly upender · under transport restrictions, repositions oversized assemblies for lifting

PROPRIETARY MATERIALS AND ACCESSORIES

PROCURED THROUGH SHELLFORM

Cementitious composite material package
Galvanized steel connectors
Rebar-cage positioning spacers
Electrical boxes
Insulation ties, where applicable

PRODUCTION LINE SYSTEMS

Mixing system · dedicated mixer, bulk-bag opener, tube-chain conveyor, control system
Distribution system · flying bucket and concrete spreader
Mold-table system · fixed or traveling mold tables
Rebar fabrication system · mesh welding, mesh bending, stirrup bending, butt-welding
Curing system · curing chamber or spray-curing system
Auxiliary equipment · A-frame racks, adjustable braces, dedicated cutting machine

EXISTING PLANT RETROFIT

Assess → retain → upgrade or supplement

Equipment assessed against ShellForm requirements; qualifying systems retained
Systems short of ShellForm specifications upgraded or supplemented
Remaining gaps procured through ShellForm or sourced to ShellForm specifications
Retrofit and upgrade investment remains with the partner

GREENFIELD FACILITY

Design → configure → commission

ShellForm designs and supplies the complete production line
Proprietary assembly fixtures leased from ShellForm Technologies
ShellForm provides installation, commissioning, and acceptance support
Factory building, working capital, and other supporting facilities remain with the partner

Partner and local scope by design: ordinary reinforcement, ready-mix structural concrete, and commodity materials are sourced locally.

casting tables in a fixed mold-table reference deployment

120

standard assembly fixtures, ≈ 100 assemblies per day

60,000m³

annual output at the upper end of the reference range, ≈ 240,000 m² of single-face shear wall

300

operating days per year, reference schedule

Production lines may be configured as fixed or traveling mold-table systems and may run single or mixed assembly types, with the highest throughput achieved when focused on a single product family. Figures are calculated from a fixed mold-table reference deployment optimized for shear wall production under a 300-day, multi-shift reference operating schedule, with each assembly estimated at ≈ 2.0 m³ (2.8 m wide × 3 m high × 0.24 m thick); configurations with factory-integrated insulation carry a thicker section (≈ 0.28 m) and correspondingly lower volumetric throughput per line. The upper end of the range assumes sustained multi-shift operation; achievable output varies with local shift patterns, labor availability, facility layout, product mix, utilization, and market demand, and should be assessed for each country and facility.

CHAPTER 3 · DELIVERY All chapters

Light to ship, conventional to build, open to inspect

From the factory gate to the pour: logistics, installation step by step, inspection before and after the pour, and a record for every unit.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

Hollow and light. Under 1 tonne for a typical wall unit, roughly one-fifth of solid: standard trucks and cranes, 500 to 1,000 km by road, and sea freight where the economics support it.
Conventional to build. Set, splice, brace, and pour; 3 to 4 days per floor, with a 3-person crew per lift, on the same code path as any cast-in-place building.
Open, traceable, accounted for. Every bar and embed is inspectable before the pour; every unit is QR-traced to its material, QA, and embodied-carbon record after it.

CHAPTER 3·LOGISTICS · FROM FACTORY TO SITE

Lightness makes distance economical. The unchanged structure makes it possible

Hollow assemblies ship before concrete is placed, so structural scope moves on standard trucks and standard cranes rather than oversize logistics.

A fraction of solid weight

A typical 3 × 3 × 0.2 m wall assembly weighs under 1 tonne, roughly one-fifth of an equivalent solid element; a standard light-duty crane handles it.

Road radius 500 to 1,000 km

The economical road radius runs roughly 500 to 1,000 km [300 to 600 mi] from the production facility, several times that of solid precast; delivered projects have shipped roughly 800 to 1,300 km by road.

Travels across markets by design

Because the structural design and code path stay conventional cast-in-place, distance does not break compliance: reinforcement is integrated to the project’s structural design under the local code, insulation and finishes follow the design’s own specification, and only the concrete is placed on site. Long reach also concentrates production: one qualified base can serve many markets before local capacity is justified.

Sea freight beyond

For overseas delivery, assemblies load into standard open-top containers at the factory; the first European pilot project shipped this way, roughly 16,000 km from the production base.

CHAPTER 3·SITE INSTALLATION

Conventional in structure. Industrialized in process

CONVENTIONAL STRUCTURE

Rebar is connected by conventional lap splicing or mechanical couplers per project structural design and applicable code, and structural concrete is placed per design. The finished reinforced-concrete core is monolithic cast-in-place, indistinguishable from conventional RC construction.

INTEGRATED CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Formwork, form ties, plastering, insulation, conduits and boxes, and decorative finishes where specified are already in place when the assembly arrives. Fewer site trades translate to shorter schedule, reduced site overheads, and less construction waste; the same crews deliver more project throughput.

LIGHT SITE FOOTPRINT

A typical 3 × 3 × 0.2 m shear wall assembly weighs under 1 tonne, roughly one-fifth of an equivalent solid wall. A standard light-duty crane and a 3-person crew set it in about five minutes, from unloading off the truck to set in position, in typical site conditions: one crew member at the truck, two at the wall.

1 · Transport

Light hollow assemblies arrive by standard truck; no oversize logistics or special permits.

2 · Layout marking

Snap layout lines on the base slab; verify and adjust pre-installed starter bars to align with the assembly cavity before the lift.

3 · Lift and place

Standard light-duty crane, assembly under 1 tonne; a 3-person crew sets each shear wall in about five minutes, from the truck to its position, held by four adjustable diagonal braces; columns and beams take five to ten minutes.

4 · Rebar connection

Rebar continuity through lap splicing or mechanical couplers, per project structural design and applicable code, depending on member type.

5 · Plumb and level

Adjustable diagonal braces align each assembly to vertical and horizontal tolerances; beams and slabs use temporary props, likewise removed after the pour.

6 · Base seal and preparation

Base mortar seal; venting and rebar positioning verified before concrete placement.

7 · Concrete placement

Project-specified structural concrete is placed and vibrated by conventional methods; pours above 3 m proceed in multiple lifts. Once cured, the core is monolithic cast-in-place, and the panel faces remain as the finish-ready substrate.

Rebar connection check — Rebar-connection check, starter or extended bars

Plumb, level, bracing — Plumb, level, and bracing

Vertical rebar lap-splice and coupler details — Vertical lap-splice and coupler details

THE SEQUENCE, RENDERED

Ten moments from foundation to pour

The construction workflow is industrialized; the structural system and code path are unchanged. From the ShellForm™ System installation model. Connection type, splice parameters, and joint schemes follow each project’s structural design and applicable code.

SEQUENCE 01 · FOUNDATION LEVEL

Excavation and base-slab casting come first; installation starts on the finished base. The base shown is illustrative: the same assemblies extend into foundations, strip footings, isolated footings, and continuous basement walls (see Below grade).

SEQUENCE 02 · PLACEMENT & COUPLERS

A wall member is lowered onto its starter bars; a worker torques the mechanical couplers at the base. Vertical bars connect by mechanical couplers or by lap splices, with the connection type and the associated reinforcement detailing per the structural design and the governing code; the footage shows the coupler method. Four adjustable braces plumb and hold each member, no scaffolding, and come off the day after the pour.

SEQUENCE 03 · JOINTS & SEALING

Between adjacent members, horizontal connection bars are tied on site at the joint; splice lengths and the associated reinforcement detailing follow the structural design and the governing code. The outer joint takes a PE backer rod and sealant; the inner gap closes with aluminum forms. The arrangement shown is one of several accepted schemes; joint methods differ in the site precision they demand, and the selection is matched to project conditions and crew capability, confirmed by the responsible structural engineer.

SEQUENCE 04 · SHAPED MEMBERS

Shaped members, T, L, corner, follow the same rule: vertical connections to the starter bars below, horizontal connections to each adjacent member. Shown: an integral corner assembly making both connections at once.

SEQUENCE 05 · COLUMNS

Columns follow the same rule: vertical bars connect by mechanical couplers or by lap splices; the coupler configuration is shown here.

SEQUENCE 06 · THE FLOOR, MEMBER BY MEMBER

Walls and columns are placed one after another across the floor. Hand-hole openings at splice points close with aluminum forms once connections are complete.

SEQUENCE 07 · BEAMS

Adjustable steel props are erected first. Beam assemblies are lowered level onto the props; top bars are threaded and tied on site, beam by beam.

SEQUENCE 08 · SLABS

Slab assemblies rest on point supports: adjustable props, not full shoring or scaffolding. Slab rebar is tied on site into beams and walls. Shown: the single-shell configuration; a wall-type slab configuration also exists.

SEQUENCE 09 · THE POUR

One pour, two views. Right: the whole floor cast monolithically, walls, beams, slabs, and columns together. Left: the same pour seen inside the wall, placed and vibrated like any cast-in-place pour.

SEQUENCE 10 · THE FULL CYCLE

All members set, cast, and cured; then the floor above begins. 3 to 4 days per floor for the structural phase, one cycle repeating upward.

SITE FOOTAGE · ASSEMBLY LIFT

CHAPTER 3·SITE INSTALLATION

Watch an assembly go up

A hollow stay-in-place assembly is lifted into position, braced, and connected, with formwork function, ties, rebar, and embeds already inside. Complete procedures are documented in the ShellForm™ System technical video.

SITE FOOTAGE · ASSEMBLY TRANSPORT

500 to 1,000 km by road. Hollow units carry roughly three times the volume of solid precast per truck, 25 to 40 m³ per load.

SITE FOOTAGE · ASSEMBLY INSTALLATION

About five minutes per wall unit. From unloading off the truck to set in position, by a 3-person crew and a light-duty crane.

FACTORY · PRE-SHIPMENT TRIAL ASSEMBLY

Inspectable before it ships, and before the pour. A trial assembly verifies fit and tolerances; the open cavity keeps every connection visible until the concrete is placed.

LOGISTICS · CONTAINER LOADING · 41 UNITS

Roughly three times the volume of solid precast per container. The container shown holds 41 assemblies. The first European pilot, 147 components with its site bracing, connection reinforcement, and equipment, shipped in four 40 ft open-top containers.

CHAPTER 3·FIELD ADAPTABILITY & QUALITY INSPECTION

Modifiable on site, inspectable before and after the pour

Open cavity before structural pour — Open cavity before the structural pour

On-site modifiability

Non-structural panel faces can be locally modified for project design changes; for MEP changes the panels can be freely cut and patched by conventional methods, without altering the structural load path.

Pre-pour transparency

Open cavities keep reinforcement and embeds visible: bar specifications, spacing, and cover, lap splices or mechanical couplers, conduits and boxes, and insulation can all be inspected before the structural pour.

Post-pour inspection

Where required, the cast-in-place structure itself can be inspected and verified through infrared thermal imaging, core sampling, and localized panel opening, under applicable approval documents and engineer-of-record specifications.

Bonded by chemistry, anchored by connectors

Panel and core share the same cementitious chemistry and are tied by the dense connector grid; in cyclic testing the panels acted with the core through peak load. Panels are inorganic and non-combustible.

INSPECTABLE BEFORE AND AFTER THE POUR

CHAPTER 3·QUALITY · COMPONENT TRACEABILITY

Every component answers for itself

Every assembly leaves the factory with a QR identity tag. One scan resolves the component’s own record: what it is, where it belongs on the plan, and exactly what went into it. The same component-level record is built to carry material and embodied-carbon data for LCA and EPD documentation, with the EPD pathway in preparation.

SHELLFORM™ SYSTEM

2F-MKQ-••

L-shaped shear wall assembly
XPS insulation · 70 mm
European pilot project

Specimen QR code; scan to open the sample component record

SPECIMEN TAG · SCAN TO OPEN THE SAMPLE RECORD

Plan locationFloor 2F · highlighted in green

Reinforcement••.• kg

Cementitious panel material••• kg

Insulation board•.• m²

Steel connectors•• pcs

Insulation connectors•• pcs

Decorative finish•.• m²

Production QABatch and inspection data linked

Identity on every assembly

Each delivered assembly carries a QR tag tied to its component ID. The tag resolves to a live record: member type, dimensions, floor, and its highlighted position on the layout plan.

A bill of materials per component

The record carries the component’s own quantities: reinforcement, cementitious panel material, insulation board, steel and insulation connectors, and decorative finish. Material accounting is component-level, drawn from production data, rather than estimated across the pour.

Quality and conformity, attached

Production QA data links to the same record, and key inputs carry their own certificates: reinforcement mill certificates to the specified grade, CE documentation where the market requires it, tracked to batch and producer. Conformity documentation is added as evaluation programs complete. One scan, the component’s full story.

Low carbon, accounted for

The panel formulation incorporates 50 to 70% low-carbon constituents, and the permanent panels remove separate reusable formwork from the site. Because every component carries its own material record, material and embodied-carbon accounting can run at component level, and the same record structure is built to carry the documentation that follows. Reduced site waste, traceable materials, and trackable carbon data support LCA, EPD, and LEED documentation.

Specimen shown with masked identifiers and quantities; live records are issued per project. Deployed on the first European pilot project, 2026.

CHAPTER 3·DESIGN & ENGINEERING

Designed as cast-in-place. No parallel system design

ShellForm does not require its own structural design regime the way conventional precast does. The locally approved cast-in-place design is used as issued; assemblies are simply production divisions of that design, split by parameters every concrete code already defines.

CONVENTIONAL PRECAST

Every project is re-engineered into the precast regime

The structure is first redesigned under the local precast code: panel joints become structural connections, seismic equivalence is proven case by case, and the system locks in early design. The conversion repeats for every project and market.

→

SHELLFORM

The approved cast-in-place design is the only design

Assembly boundaries are production divisions, not structural joints; the monolithic load path is untouched. Split rules reduce to lap lengths, cover, and spacing, parameters every concrete code already defines, so the same engine ports across jurisdictions by loading the matching parameters, with no redesign loop between issued drawings and production. The system adds the delivery layer onto the issued design: cementitious composite panels, connectors, and embeds are generated by rule, and insulation follows the design’s own specification.

Approved structural drawings

The direct split input, taken as issued

Rule-based split

Numbered components; structure unchanged

Assembly detailing

Panels, connectors, and embeds configured per assembly

Production documents

Process-step drawings and bill of materials, generated per assembly

Factory production unit

Produced to specification, QR-traced to batches and QA records

CHAPTER 4 · WHY SHELLFORM All chapters

Industrialized delivery without a new structural product

Why cast-in-place stayed under-industrialized, what other routes trade away, and where the system pays back most.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

The trade-off, resolved. Deep factory integration without the product becoming the structure: no new code path, no heavy logistics, no single-project engineering.
In numbers. Typically 30% shorter structural-phase schedules and up to 80% fewer on-site labor hours for main structural works, indicative, from delivered projects.
Where it pays most. Labor-scarce, schedule-driven, seismic, remote, and dense urban conditions, and projects that must document carbon: low-carbon panels, less site waste, component-level carbon data.

CHAPTER 4·WHY NOW

Construction's bottleneck is field capacity, not demand

Reinforced concrete is one of the world's dominant building structures, and most of it is still cast in place on site. The delivery workflow behind it has barely industrialized while the workforce that executes it is shrinking.

The addressable market is not a share of modular or precast construction.
It is the delivery workflow of cast-in-place reinforced concrete itself, work that recurs on every project, every year.

+10%

construction labor-productivity gain 2000 to 2022, versus +90% in manufacturing

41%

of the US construction workforce set to retire by 2031

92%

of firms report difficulty hiring; workforce shortages are the leading cause of project delays

≈349K

net new US construction workers needed in 2026 alone

US$15T+projected global construction output by 2030, up from US$10.7T in 2020 (Oxford Economics)

Single-digitmodular construction's share of global output, even after a decade of investment (McKinsey)

Cast in placehow most of the world's reinforced concrete is still delivered, project by project

Sources: McKinsey Global Institute; NCCER; AGC of America / NCCER 2025 Workforce Survey; Associated Builders and Contractors, 2026 workforce model; Oxford Economics, Future of Construction.

It remains under-industrialized because most solutions change too little or too much

THE WORKFLOW LOCK

Isolated steps improve; the workflow stays

Digital tools, BIM, and single-task robots improve isolated steps, but the site stays a sequential, multi-trade workflow.

→

SHELLFORM™ RESPONSE

Moves repeatable work into the factory

Repeatable delivery operations move into industrialized factory production; site work narrows to component setting, continuity connections, and concrete placement.

THE INTEGRATION LOCK

Low-integration systems stop at formwork

Formwork and low-integration stay-in-place systems preserve the cast-in-place structure but stop at formwork or the insulation board.

→

SHELLFORM™ RESPONSE

Integrates beyond formwork

Factory assemblies add reinforcement integration, embeds, insulation board, and plaster and decorative finishes, moving repeatable trade content into standardized, industrialized batch production.

THE STRUCTURAL-PRODUCT AND LOGISTICS LOCK

Heavy structural products narrow the project pool

Heavy factory-made structural products narrow the project pool through weight, transport radius, lifting limits, local-code acceptance, below-grade constraints, and plant-utilization economics.

→

SHELLFORM™ RESPONSE

Keeps structure local and scope adaptable

Hollow ShellForm™ assemblies ship light while the load-bearing core is cast locally, allowing broader use across applicable reinforced-concrete scopes, from walls and corners to basement and foundation applications.

Sources: McKinsey (2019, 2024, 2025); Goldman Sachs (2026); Associated Builders and Contractors (2026); NCCER / Deloitte. The bottleneck in industrializing reinforced-concrete construction is not software, robotics, or factory scale alone; it is whether the repeatable work that constrains field execution can be shifted into industrialized factory production without turning the structure itself into a factory product.

CHAPTER 4·COMPARED WITH OTHER APPROACHES

Deep factory integration, an unchanged cast-in-place code path, and open pre-pour inspection, together

Existing approaches face a fundamental trade-off: the deeper their factory integration, the further they move from conventional cast-in-place structural design and code. A non-structural, stay-in-place assembly can escape it, keeping the structure cast in place; the ShellForm™ System takes that route further, with insulation and corners in the factory, connectors anchored in the panel, and stockable standard units.

FORMWORK ROUTES · TEMPORARY & NON-STRUCTURAL PERMANENT

Preserve the structure, stop at formwork

Timber, steel, and aluminum systems keep the cast-in-place structure but stop at the formwork step. Non-structural permanent formwork, such as ICF and panel-based systems, adds insulation or a panel face; reinforcement and MEP mostly remain site trades, and where board kits fit them in the factory, each element is still project-specific and assembled at corners on site.

STRUCTURAL PRECAST

Integrates more, becomes the structure

Structural stay-in-place and solid precast products integrate deeper, but the factory product becomes load-bearing: heavier logistics, joint design, and system-specific code acceptance.

VOLUMETRIC MODULAR

Deepest integration, furthest from convention

Whole-room modules carry the most factory content, with oversize logistics, heavy cranage, and system-specific approval frameworks.

SHELLFORM™ SYSTEM

Industrialized delivery, conventional structure

Deep factory integration while preserving the cast-in-place load path, standard reinforced-concrete code, and open pre-pour inspection.

Adoption friction is lowered for every stakeholder

Engineer · conventional RC designContractor · a leaner site workflow on the familiar pour-and-inspect basisPlan reviewer · standard RC code reviewInsurer · conventional risk basisOwner · conventional asset class and audit trail

EXTENDED EVALUATION MATRIX

Eight delivery systems, dimension by dimension

SCROLL HORIZONTALLY · FIRST COLUMN AND SHELLFORM COLUMN STAY FIXED →

	POINT SOLUTIONS site robotics, BIM tools	TEMPORARY FORMWORK timber / steel / aluminum	3D PRINTED CONCRETE	NON-STRUCTURAL PERMANENT FORMWORK ICF, PVC, cement-bonded boards	STRUCTURAL PERMANENT FORMWORK twin-wall / semi-precast	SOLID PRECAST	VOLUMETRIC MODULAR PPVC / MiC	SHELLFORM™ SYSTEM
WHAT IT IS	Single-task site automation	Reusable site formwork	Layer-extruded outer shells plus concrete core	Foam blocks, polymer forms, or cement-bonded board kits	Precast structural leaves plus lattice girders and a partial site-cast core	Factory-cast structurally complete element	Whole-room integrated module	Hollow stay-in-place assembly with factory-integrated trades
PRODUCT IS STRUCTURAL?	No new structural product	No; CIP concrete is structural	System-dependent	No; site-cast core is structural	Composite / hybrid after site fill	Yes, designed as load-bearing	Yes, system-dependent	No; site-cast RC core is structural
CODE PATHWAY	No new wall system; existing project code applies	Standard CIP RC code	Emerging acceptance criteria; jurisdiction-specific	RC wall design plus product-specific acceptance	Composite design, jurisdiction-specific	Precast structural design plus plant QA	System acceptance frameworks plus local RC code	Standard RC code; ICC-ES ESR and ETA in progress
SEISMIC PERFORMANCE	Unchanged from baseline	Structure is CIP itself	Limited high-seismic data; project-specific	Structure is CIP itself	Composite behavior; joint detailing project-specific	Joint-dependent; connection design critical	System-dependent; module connections critical	Preserves CIP load path; cyclic-test stiffness and capacity at or above equivalent CIP¹
FACTORY-INTEGRATED TRADES	Single trade, on-site	Formwork only	Wall geometry only; manual rebar; MEP and finishes on site	Formwork, plus insulation for ICF; board kits add factory-fitted mesh and conduits	Designed leaf reinforcement and lattice girders; optional factory embeds and insulation; joint and additional core reinforcement on site	Concrete and rebar, often conduits and insulation; joints and remaining MEP on site	Structure, MEP, finishes, and fit-out, 7 to 10+ trades	Formwork and ties, rebar cage, conduits and boxes, insulation, finish substrate: 5 trades, plus an optional 6th (decorative finish)
REBAR / MEP VISIBILITY BEFORE POUR	N/A	Open, no permanent product	Partial	Inspectable from the top as blocks stack or before the kit is closed; the formed cavity is enclosed	Cavity only; precast leaves' rebar not field-verifiable	Closed, factory-cast	Closed, factory-finished	Open, inspectable cavity before site fill
PRODUCTION, CYCLE & EQUIPMENT	Equipment and software; no component production	Reusable forms; site support, pour, stripping	On- or near-site robotic printer; proprietary mix; manual rebar	Molded blocks or factory-cut board kits; site stack or set, then fill	Precast leaves on line; flip and cure; site propping and fill	Project or standard molds; factory casting, curing, storage; crane erection	Module line plus finishing stations and storage yard; multi-cycle, heavy lift	Factory-integrated wet-state assembly; offline-prepared assembly fixture mounted on line
ELEMENT SCOPE	Single step within existing workflow	Any element; site-built	Primarily walls	Walls; board kits extend to columns, beams, slab formwork, and stairs	Walls; lattice-girder slabs	Walls, slabs, beams, columns, stairs on dedicated lines	Whole rooms; repetitive layouts	Walls, columns, beams, slabs, and foundations; L-, T-, and U-corners as single units
UNIT WEIGHT & TRANSPORT	Equipment delivery	Standard equipment delivery; reusable	Equipment delivery; structure built on site	Light components, hand-set blocks or crane-set board kits; standard truck	Crane-lifted precast panels; radius project-specific	~3 to 5 t per 3 × 3 m wall; crane erection; radius project-specific	Concrete modules ~25 to 30 t; high-capacity crane; oversize logistics	~0.8 to 1.0 t per 3 × 3 m wall pre-fill; standard truck and crane; radius ~500 to 1,000 km¹
SITE LABOR & FLOOR CYCLE	Single trade; site labor unchanged	Multi-trade sequential site work; weather-dependent	Small printer crew; reinforcement and MEP trades on site	Site rebar and fill for blocks; set, brace, connect, and fill for board kits; pour rate limited by the form in both	Lifting crew plus cavity rebar and fill; 3 to 4 days per floor¹	Lifting, connection, and grouting crews; 4 to 6 days per floor¹	Module lift, connection, and interface trades; multi-cycle	3-person lift crew; limited on-site splicing and hand-hole patching; 3 to 4 days per floor¹
FAULT TOLERANCE & REPAIRABILITY	Tolerant; no new permanent product	Tolerant; rework before pour	Limited; printed geometry hard to modify after cure	Tolerant for chases; concrete repair as standard	Limited at leaf joints; precast tolerance critical	Limited; structural panels not field-modifiable	Very limited; module changes difficult on site	Tolerant; panel face is field-cut and chased like a standard wall
KEY CONSTRAINT	One step only; site workflow otherwise unchanged	Sequential site trades plus weather dependency	Wall-centric scope plus manual reinforcement; largely low and mid-rise in practice	Cost premium versus CIP in low-labor markets; standard blocks stock as commodity, board kits are project-specific; product-specific acceptance by jurisdiction	Factory precast process plus crane lift and joint detailing	Project molds plus heavy weight; joint-dependent; short transport radius	Oversize logistics, heavy crane, and factory capex; empty volume shipped, long hauls by sea	Market-by-market evaluation pathways, qualified partner-plant coverage, and local ecosystem build-out

¹ Ranges are directional and project-specific by geometry, design, crew organization, crane availability, and jurisdiction. ShellForm stiffness and capacity figures from program-level quasi-static cyclic testing (peer-reviewed and published), with panel contribution conservatively excluded in structural design; labor and transport figures from origin-market standard reference data and delivered-project benchmarks. Comparison reflects typical implementations; specific products vary. The table is not a scorecard: on some dimensions other routes lead, such as site trades for volumetric modular, factory finish for solid precast, free-form geometry for 3D printing, and element scope for board kits.

CHAPTER 4·WHAT SHELLFORM IS, AND WHAT IT IS NOT

An integrated construction system, on the conventional code path

COMMONLY ASSUMED

A prefab, modular, or formwork-only product

→

WHAT IT IS

An integrated ShellForm™ construction system

Repeatable site trades move into factory-integrated, hollow, stay-in-place ShellForm™ assemblies, while the reinforced-concrete structural core remains site-cast and monolithic.

COMMONLY ASSUMED

A contractor or panel supplier

→

WHAT IT IS

A construction-technology company

ShellForm Technologies provides the system, proprietary materials, assembly fixtures, equipment specifications, software, and partner services.

COMMONLY ASSUMED

A niche partial solution or whole-building replacement

→

WHAT IT IS

Flexible deployment scope

Deployed selectively or broadly across applicable reinforced-concrete scopes, without changing or replacing the whole-building structural system.

CHAPTER 4·WHERE THE SYSTEM LEADS

The tighter the delivery constraints,
the greater the value

Because the load-bearing structural path remains conventional cast-in-place reinforced concrete, applicability is driven less by building type than by project delivery conditions. Advantage concentrates where these press hardest, and compounds with each added floor.

Schedule

Repeatable site trades move into the factory, supporting fixed handover dates.

Labor scarcity

Reduced dependence on site trades where skilled labor is scarce.

Seismic acceptance

The cast-in-place core follows conventional RC code logic; delivered at scale in zones up to 0.30g.

Logistics and remote sites

Light hollow assemblies ease long-distance and constrained transport by standard truck.

Dense urban sites

Less laydown and site work, reducing traffic, noise, and dust pressure on tight sites.

Climate exposure

Factory-prepped assemblies reduce weather-exposed site work in rain, heat, and cold.

Scale and repetition

Repeatable layouts industrialize fastest; benefits compound with volume.

Sustainability

Reduced site waste, traceable materials, and trackable carbon data support LCA, EPD, and LEED documentation.

Most applicable to cast-in-place reinforced-concrete structures: walls, columns, beams and slabs, plus complex zones such as basements, cores, shafts, water tanks, utility tunnels, and isolated footings. Building scope: occupied building structures such as residential, hospitality, affordable housing, and public buildings.

Typically reduces

30%

structural-phase schedule, compressed versus conventional cast-in-place baselines

Reduces up to

80%

on-site labor hours for main structural works; in labor-constrained markets, read as structural-phase throughput gains for existing crews

Derived from delivered-project data; indicative ranges versus conventional cast-in-place baselines for main structural works. Outcomes vary by building type, height, local labor structure, assembly scope, and adoption scope. Validate project economics with local contractors.

CHAPTER 5 · HOW WE WORK All chapters

We supply the system. Partners produce locally. Contractors build with it

The company behind the system, the four stakeholders it serves, the delivery ecosystem, stock, cost logic, and the path from first project to qualified capacity.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

Direct first, local at scale. Assemblies ship from the established base at market entry; qualified partner factories produce in-market as demand proves out.
Stockable. Hollow, non-structural standard units let market partners hold regional inventory and configure to order, a first for this category.
One evidence base. ShellForm Technologies holds the evaluations; qualified partner plants are listed under them, and the technical file stays with the holder.

CHAPTER 5·ONE SYSTEM, ONE COMPANY

Invented at production scale. Structured for global markets

The ShellForm™ System carries a decade of delivery behind it. ShellForm Technologies Inc. was established in 2026 as the global technology company that owns the system's international brand and IP, leads its international evaluation and certification program, and carries it into new markets as sole applicant and designated report holder.

TECHNOLOGY ORIGIN AND SUPPLY

Invented and validated at scale

A decade of development and delivery in the system's market of origin, one of the world's largest construction markets, with 1,000,000+ m² of delivered GFA and the governing industry technical standard co-authored in 2018.

Supply base to the international platform: Proprietary cementitious composites, connectors, and assembly fixtures supplied from the established production base while regional capacity qualifies

INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIALIZATION AND IP

ShellForm Technologies Inc. · Delaware, USA

Brand, trademark, and IP: International brand rights, trademark, and new IP filings held by the US entity for global markets; ShellForm registered as an EU trademark (EUTM No. 019353403), applications pending in the US and China
Certifications and market approvals: Sole applicant and designated holder across all pathways; factories are qualified locations under them
Future technology roadmap: Product development and the technology roadmap, directed by the US entity

Underway: certifications and first pilot

US and Australia: certification evaluation in progress · Europe: ETA route in progress; first international pilot, 2026

Extension markets

Extension markets follow additional ICC-ES country code reports and the EU-wide ETA on the same evaluated technical basis

Separate strategic-market pathways

Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India through market-specific routes

United StatesAustraliaEurope CanadaNew ZealandSaudi ArabiaUAEIndiaMalaysiaSingapore

CHAPTER 5·HOW WE WORK

ShellForm supplies the proprietary core; partners operate and scale locally

Repeatable site work, productized: the structural core stays project-specific and local, while the delivery layer behind it is standardized, produced, and priced as a product system.

01 · WHO WE SERVE

Four stakeholders, one delivery system

Project sponsors and owners

WHO: Developers, public agencies, industrial and hyperscale owners
NEEDS: Delivery certainty, opening and operating dates, budget control, ESG documentation
SHELLFORM ROLE: Delivered-project proof, less site work, and traceable material and carbon data

Delivery decision-makers

WHO: GCs, EPCs, design-build firms, strategic contractors
NEEDS: Labor shortage, site congestion, weather exposure, trade coordination
SHELLFORM ROLE: Factory-integrated assemblies reduce trade interfaces on site while preserving cast-in-place RC structural design

Specifiers and approval stakeholders

WHO: Structural engineers, architects, AHJs, certifiers, testing labs, insurers
NEEDS: Clear code path, structural safety, evidence, inspectability, and traceability
SHELLFORM ROLE: Preserves the cast-in-place RC code path, with added evaluation, quality-control program, and traceability

Local production and delivery partners

WHO: Component factories, contractors with plants, JV partners, and other local production partners
NEEDS: Project pipeline, capacity utilization, differentiated capability
SHELLFORM ROLE: Licensed production with assembly fixtures, equipment, proprietary inputs, software, quality-control program, and brand-use rights

02 · WHO RUNS WHAT

The delivery ecosystem

ShellForm operates 1 and 2; partners and local supply operate 3 to 5

Data backbone: quantities are known by design; panel materials, connectors, and the cast concrete volume all trace to each component’s geometry and production record

1SHELLFORM

Design & data

System rules, production data, software

2SHELLFORM

Material & equipment supply

Proprietary materials, qualified supply base

3PARTNER

Authorized production & regional stock

Partner facilities produce under ShellForm™ spec; in-market stock configured to order

4LOCAL SUPPLY

Local ready-mix

Concrete from local batch plants

5PARTNER

Site execution

Local contractor places, connects, pours

SHELLFORM PROVIDES

System design

Design standards and system rules, component splitting rules, digital tools and production data

Materials and equipment

Proprietary cementitious composites, connectors, and special parts; assembly fixture sets, ShellForm-owned and leased; equipment supplied or approved

Governance and support

Partner qualification and the quality-control program, certification and evaluation coordination, training, audits, and data compliance

LOCAL PARTNERS OPERATE

Market interface

Customer and contractor relationships, local permitting and approvals, regional stock and order configuration

Production operations

Authorized assembly production to ShellForm technical requirements, and factory-to-site logistics

Project delivery

Site coordination and installation, locally sourced ready-mix concrete and reinforcement, inspection and acceptance support

03 · THE PRODUCT MODEL

Stockable by design, applied where it fits

Project-engineered load-bearing prefabrication cannot hold inventory; hollow, non-structural units can. The system makes stock possible for structural walls and frames, beyond the catalog items such as lintels and hollow-core planks that precast already stocks. Where scopes are standardized and repetitive, stock applies; elsewhere, members are produced to project design.

WHY PREFAB CANNOT STOCK

Project-engineered load-bearing prefabrication cannot be inventoried

In conventional wall and frame prefabrication every factory unit is structure itself, engineered for a single project; elements cannot be cut, recombined, or reassigned, and cannot be held as general, reusable stock. Catalog items such as lintels and hollow-core planks are the exception, not the wall system.

→

WHY SHELLFORM CAN STOCK

Hollow, non-structural standard units can be cut and reconfigured

ShellForm™ assemblies are hollow shells that carry no structural load; the load-bearing structure is formed on site. The factory-integrated cage uses distributed reinforcement standardized per unit length, so units can be cut and recombined within defined rules, with cut lines clear of connectors, without changing the structural basis.

How stock becomes delivery: corners set the shape; straights set the length

The stock model applies to standardized, repetitive scopes; project-specific members and engineered geometries are produced to project design, not from stock.

Corners set the shape. L- and T-corner assemblies are supplied standard and never cut.

Straights set the length. Straights are mass-produced in modular dimensions and installed at full length, with only the last closing unit of each wall cut to the remaining dimension.

Pre-formed positions. Standard units carry pre-formed lifting, bracing, and conduit and box positions.

Configured at regional points. Some are stocked without pre-set openings and configured to project design at regional processing points.

CORNERS SET THE SHAPE · STRAIGHTS SET THE LENGTH

04 · THE COST AND PRICING LOGIC

Restructures structural-phase cost, not line-item prices

Cost items are removed from site scope, shifted into the factory, added as system costs, or left unchanged by design. Fewer site operations and coordination interfaces lower site-management burden and overheads; factory QA reduces rework and tolerance variance.

REMOVED FROM SITE

SHIFTED TO FACTORY

ADDED AS SYSTEM COSTS

UNCHANGED BY DESIGN

Removable formwork

Panels become the permanent face

Reinforcement cage assembly

Pre-assembled, delivered ready to pour

Proprietary materials

Composite panels, connectors, rebar spacers

Site-cast monolithic RC core

Load path 100% cast-in-place

Formwork-dedicated scaffolding

Not needed in the shell phase

Insulation system

Set and anchored in the factory

Factory production capacity

Fixtures, equipment, and labor amortized

Reinforcement design and splicing

Per structural design and code

Rough plastering and substrate prep

Panel face is a finish-ready substrate

Conduit and box embedment

Conduits, boxes, and embeds pre-placed

Certification and evaluation pathway

Market conformity, by market

EOR design authority

Engineer of record retains authorship

On-site insulation installation

Eliminated from the site sequence

Coatings and decorative finish layers

Factory-applied per project scope

Unit-level traceability

QR-linked to material and QA records

Permit and inspection processes

Via conventional code pathways

SHELLFORM’S COMMERCIAL SCOPE

Prices the system supply, not the project’s all-in per-m² cost

Product families and technical standards: ShellForm supplies a product system, not GC services
Component-supply pricing: Direct from ShellForm at entry; local partner factories at scale
Owners specify the ShellForm™ System: GCs then price it into the project bid
Project per-m² cost: Covers GC execution, local labor, installation, logistics, MEP, finishes, and integration, beyond ShellForm’s supply scope

PER-M² COST LOGIC

Not a fixed catalogue rate; shaped by system fit and project conditions

System fit: Which members, locations, and factory-integrated scope ShellForm covers
Project conditions: Scale, location, transport, local labor, code, design, and finish scope

Qualitative framework. Specific unit economics vary by market, scope, and partnership tier.

05 · FROM PROOF TO SCALE

Direct supply and regional stock create the market foundation for qualified production capacity

MODE A · MARKET SEEDING · prove demand, approval pathways, partner execution, and stock turnover

Direct supply

ShellForm-supplied assemblies support first projects, references, and approval pathways; early market entry proceeds without committed plant investment.

STATUS · First international pilot shipped, in transit

Regional stock

Market partners hold and configure territory inventory, building customer access and repeatable demand; stock turnover becomes the demand signal for capacity.

STATUS · Regional partners in development; European inventory model in preparation

MODE B · QUALIFIED PRODUCTION CAPACITY · capacity follows proven demand and market economics

Expanded qualified supply base

Additional ShellForm-qualified capacity, including expanded supply from the established production base, where logistics and economics support the market.

Existing-plant retrofit

Operating component factories add a ShellForm-qualified product line; plant and operations investment remains with the partner.

Greenfield regional facility

New dedicated capacity, located where market volume, logistics, and regional coverage justify dedicated investment.

Underutilized-capacity conversion

Underutilized industrial assets transformed into ShellForm-qualified production at lower capital cost.

Commercial architecture: both modes operate under one licensing and certification framework

Brand-use license, factory qualification, quality-control program, certification listing, proprietary material and equipment supply, assembly fixture leasing, software and data reporting, and audit; territory, stocking, and production rights are granted separately, staged with market development. Partnership structures are set market by market and partner by partner; assembly fixtures remain ShellForm property in every structure.

Partner capital builds market capacity; ShellForm capital builds the system

IP, certifications, core technology, and data. Ordinary ready-mix concrete, reinforcement, and commodity materials stay local by design. Evaluations and certifications are held by ShellForm Technologies, and qualified partner factories produce as listed locations under them.

One technical basis, market-by-market pathways

Technical evidence basis · held by ShellForm Technologies

Test data, engineering analysis, and the factory QA backbone form one evidence base; one coordinated multi-standard test campaign feeds all target markets.

Market conformity document · the same basis, converted per market

The same evidence base converts into each market's conformity document; ShellForm Technologies Inc. is the report holder in each pathway, and partner factories are listed locations under it.

Factory audit regime · one QA backbone, plant-by-plant audits

Qualified plants are added to the holder's reports as listed locations, following each program's audit and quality-documentation requirements; the technical file remains the holder's property. Where no formal product-evaluation pathway exists, the ShellForm™ enterprise standard governs quality and traceability.

CHAPTER 5·WHERE WE ARE

Certification underway in three markets. First international pilot shipped, in transit. Partnerships forming market by market

IN PROGRESS

US ICC-ES ESR and Australia NCC pathway

Product evaluation underway under the relevant US and Australian pathways

IN PROGRESS

European ETA route

Advancing the ETA route with European Technical Assessment Bodies, coordinated with the first international pilot

SHIPPED · IN TRANSIT

First international pilot, Europe

Components produced and shipped, in transit by sea for the first European pilot project

IN DEVELOPMENT

Assembly module software, Phase 1

Design-to-production software for assembly splitting, BOM, and project data on the ShellForm™ System

IN PREPARATION

Environmental product declaration (EPD)

Life-cycle assessment and EPD pathway scoped under the same coordinated certification program

MARKET DEVELOPMENT

Territory, stock, and strategic partners

Exclusive territory sales agreed in first European markets; further territory, stock, and strategic and production partnerships in discussion across Europe and Asia, alongside the first European pilot

CHAPTER 6 · PROJECTS AND PROOF All chapters

Ten years, one million square meters, project by project

Delivered projects across structural types, transport distances, and seismic zones; the timeline; and the gallery.

WHERE IT STANDS ALONE IN THIS CHAPTER

At scale. 1,000,000+ m² of GFA over a decade, up to 27 floors, in seismic zones up to 0.30g.
Across distances. Delivered from under 10 km to about 1,300 km by road, and roughly 16,000 km by sea for the first European pilot.
Same system throughout. Shear walls, frames, corners, beams, slabs, basements, and foundations, produced at origin and partner factories.

CHAPTER 6·PROJECTS

A decade of delivered projects across structural types, transport distances, and seismic zones

Hilton Hotel

Shanghai · Hospitality

Lakeville Phase 3

Shanghai · Luxury residential

Faculty Housing

Nanchang · Residential, supply completed 2026

PROJECT TYPE	STRUCTURE · HEIGHT	LOCATION	TRANSPORT	SEISMIC	YEAR	SHELLFORM PRODUCTS	DELIVERY
Premium residential	Shear wall · 4F · 14.4 m	Shanghai	~150 km	0.10g	2016	Shear wall, infill wall, beam	Origin factory
Premium residential	Shear wall · 6F · 21.3 m	Shanghai	~150 km	0.10g	2019	Shear wall, beam	Origin factory
Public building	Frame · 4F · 16.5 m	Shanghai	~200 km	0.05g	2019	Column, beam	Origin factory
Commercial rental apartment	Frame-shear · 14F · 45.3 m	Shanghai	~750 km	0.10g	2020	Extra-thick shear wall, 540 mm	Origin factory
High-rise residential	Shear wall · 18F · 57 m	Nanchang	~10 km	0.05g	2021	Extra-tall shear wall, 4,500 mm	Origin factory
High-rise residential	Shear wall · 24F · 72 m	Foshan	~800 km	0.10g	2021	Column, basement	Origin factory
Hospitality	Frame-shear · 12F · 45.4 m	Shanghai	~750 km	0.10g	2021	Extra-thick shear wall, 540 mm	Origin factory
Affordable housing	Shear wall · 27F · 81 m	Hainan	~30 km	0.30g	2023	Shear wall, boundary element	Partner factory
Faculty housing	Shear wall · 18F · 60 m	Nanchang	<10 km	0.05g	2026	L-shaped shear wall, boundary element	Origin factory
Detached villa	Shear wall · 3F + basement · 10 m	Europe	~16,000 km	<0.04g	2026	Insulated wall, beam, slab, column	Origin factory

Sources: internal project records; additional counterparty identities not disclosed. Origin and partner factories have each delivered multiple projects under the ShellForm framework; the above is a representative selection.

CHAPTER 6·PROOF

A decade of development and delivery. One million square meters delivered

1,000,000+

m² delivered across building types and high-seismic zones

70+

patents and applications across the full value chain

Industry standard

co-authored the governing technical standard for the system in its market of origin, 2018

First Prize

Industry award 2021, evaluated by a 34-academician jury

2014

Foundational R&D launched

2018

Governing industry standard for the system published

2021

Industry first-prize award

2023

Licensing model launched; partner-factory delivery begins

2026

ShellForm Technologies Inc. founded in the US as the global technology company for the system, holding its international IP, brand, and certification programs; ICC-ES evaluation and European ETA route in progress; first European pilot, 2026

CHAPTER 6·FROM FACTORY TO FIELD

Engineered in-house from the ground up, proven across real projects since 2014

Detail images and additional footage of assembly production and on-site installation are available on request

HOW TO ENGAGE

Built to industrialize cast-in-place concrete construction worldwide

STRATEGIC INVESTORS

Capital to accelerate certification and overseas market expansion.

PROJECT OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS

Owners, developers, and GCs seeking faster, industrialized delivery on the conventional code path.

TERRITORY AND CAPACITY PARTNERS

Regional market-makers, stock partners, and qualified capacity partners under the ShellForm pathway.

DESIGN AND DATA PARTNERS

Teams exploring digital design, production, and data tools on the ShellForm™ System as a base layer.

OR WRITE DIRECTLYhao@shellformtech.com·LinkedIn

The repeatable trades arrive from the factory. The structure is cast in place.

Where the ShellForm™ System stands alone

Integrated like prefab. Designed as cast-in-place.

Hollow: light to transport, and stockable.

One line, every member type, no project-specific molds.

Open before the pour. Accountable after it.

ShellForm Technologies supplies the system. Contractors build with it.

The technology company behind the system

Materials, fixtures, equipment, licensing

Direct supply first, local production at scale

Proven across a decade

A decade of the system. Since 2026, ShellForm Technologies Inc. is its international platform

Six chapters, from what we make to how we work

The System

Production

Delivery

Why ShellForm

How we work

Projects and proof

The delivery layer arrives from the factory. The structure is cast on site

The structure stays cast in place. The trades move to the factory.

Factory-integrated layers. Site-cast structural core

1Interior PanelF

2Conduits & BoxesF

3Rebar SpacersF

4Reinforcement CageF●

5Galvanized Steel ConnectorsF

6Insulation ConnectorsF

7Exterior PanelF

8Insulation BoardF

9Protective LayerF

The product is not the structure

The assembled model, and the factory-produced unit

Shear walls, columns, beams, slabs,and partitions in one system

Straight shear wall

The schedule advantage starts below grade

Application scope

Monolithic continuous placement

Lighter than solid precast

Schedule from the foundation up

Base assembly with optional thermal, finish, and façade-interface modules

The core hollow stay-in-place unit

Insulation anchored by concrete, not adhesive

Factory-integrated finish paths

PANEL THICKNESS

CAVITY THICKNESS

One proprietary material, two jobs:formwork function, then finish substrate

Dual function, non-structural by design

Performance

Sustainability

Raw material supply

Proprietary galvanized steel connectors tiethe panel faces and maintain cavity geometry

Thin strip geometry

On-edge orientation

Pressure-based spacing

Independent of reinforcement

One wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip

Single-cure wet-state co-casting on one production line

Reconfigurable production platform

Highly-integrated assembly fixture

First panel face

Preloaded assembly fixture

Insulation, where specified

Second panel face

Single factory cure

Demold and transfer

Side forms set member by member

Two casts, two cures, one flip

One wet-state sequence, one cure, no flip

The product is not the structure

Up close

ShellForm™ System scope of supply, packaged for greenfield or retrofit lines

LEASED FROM SHELLFORM

PURCHASED FROM SHELLFORM

PROCURED THROUGH SHELLFORM

Assess → retain → upgrade or supplement

Design → configure → commission

Light to ship, conventional to build, open to inspect

Lightness makes distance economical. The unchanged structure makes it possible

A fraction of solid weight

The repeatable trades arrive from the factory.
The structure is cast in place.

Shear walls, columns, beams, slabs,
and partitions in one system

One proprietary material, two jobs:
formwork function, then finish substrate

Proprietary galvanized steel connectors tie
the panel faces and maintain cavity geometry

The tighter the delivery constraints,
the greater the value