Corby modular housing factory TopHat orders 59 top-spec robots to 'work' at new site

A Corby firm that will roll a house-per-hour off its production line has placed an order for 59 state-of-the-art robots to help production in its new factory.

Up to 1,000 people will be given green-tech jobs at the 650,000 square foot site at Magna Park – the former Cowthick Plantation – alongside the robots when it opens next summer.

TopHat, which already delivers 800 homes per year from its HQ in Derby, already has a large order placed for 226 ultra-low carbon homes when production begins in Corby.

Now, the firm has reserved 59 specially-made robots from Kuka Robotics in Germany. They are currently being tested ready for installation later in the year. New video shows the robots in action.

 TopHat says the robots will help in its mission to design and build homes which have exceptional architectural flexibility, are low in embodied carbon and require a low amount of energy to run.  

Jordan Rosenhaus, founder and chief executive of TopHat, said: “New homes built to the highest standards are desperately needed to help solve the UK housing crisis. 

"Combining our design platform with cutting edge robotics will enable TopHat to build energy efficient, high quality homes at scale for an affordable price.”

Magna Park is being built at the former Cowthick Plantation site off the A43 in Corby and, with units of up to a million square feet available, will be one of the country’s largest purpose-built logistics parks.