The first autonomous snow groomer... a 100% project from Fribourg!

Read our article in the CCIF newspaper, ECHO:

"Builtec Sàrl was founded in 2007 by Dario GuccioneBuiltec Sàrl specialises in road construction, focusing in particular on the sale of bituminous products and innovative solutions for road rehabilitation and reinforcement. In 2009, to expand its services, Builtec Sàrl launched Builtronicsa brand dedicated to the sale of slope robots and radio-controlled construction machinery. These machines are designed to improve operator safety and to work in hard-to-reach areas.

Today, Builtec Sàrl, based in Farvagny with a workshop in Neyruz, has a team of three employees. The company provides sales, maintenance and training for radio-controlled machines sold in Switzerland and abroad, guaranteeing professional support and safe use of the equipment on offer.

In September 2022, Builtronics obtained funding from InnoSuisse supported by PromFR in collaboration with HEIA-FR for the "AutoSnow" project, to create the first autonomous 100% snow groomer. made in Fribourg. The aim of the project is to convert a radio-controlled tool carrier fitted with a grooming attachment for cross-country ski runs into an autonomous and/or remotely-operated groomer. This significant advance in ski slope maintenance will make repetitive tasks safer, particularly in dangerous areas such as frozen lakes in the high mountains. Tests carried out in ski resort, where the machine was operated on a distance of more than 350 kilometres, have demonstrated the ability of these machines to operate without human intervention, while offering the possibility be controlled remotely if necessary.

More than a stand-alone snow groomer...

Builtronics is constantly expanding its range of machines for professionals to meet the ever-changing demand for services. Drawing on the lessons learned from the AutoSnow project, Builtronics is continuing to develop its automation technology in various sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, road maintenance, tunnels and construction. Builtronics is proud to have developed 100% technology in Fribourg, with a skills cluster in the commune of Gibloux. The company is currently in an expansion phase and aims to bring to market this unique autonomous technology, which does not yet exist elsewhere. With this in mind, Builtronics is actively exploring funding opportunities and looking for new premises to support this promising expansion."

Journal ECHO de la CCIF (2024), N°3 June 2024, p.17

And if we didn't stop at the autonomous snow groomer...

Builtronics is not stopping there... This project marks the start of significant research and advances in the field of automation. We are actively working on a new technology called iTARS, which we are convinced will revolutionise low value-added tasks for tomorrow's operator! To find out more, visit our dedicated iTARS page!