FBR Limited (ASX:FBR) has established a route into the North American market for its Mantis™ welding robot, with subsidiary Fastbrick Americas Engineering LLC executing a Master Distribution Agreement and Security Agreement with Louisiana-based Industrial Robotics, LLC to distribute the platform across the United States and Canada on a non-exclusive basis.
Announced on Monday, 27 July 2026, the agreement establishes a “clear path to entry into the North American industrial fabrication and shipbuilding sectors” for FBR. The Company noted it validates early commercial demand for the Mantis™ welding platform “without expanding FBR’s headcount.”
The distribution arrangement carries an initial term of five years, with rolling automatic renewals unless terminated by either party with appropriate notice. For investors, the structure signals a capital-light approach to overseas expansion, leaning on an established local operator rather than building out FBR’s own field presence in North America.
Deal terms: What Industrial Robotics will deliver
Under the agreement, Industrial Robotics assumes a broad set of commercial and operational responsibilities across the United States and Canada. The scope covers marketing, inventory, parts logistics and after-sales support.
| Responsibility | Detail |
|---|---|
| Marketing & sales | Market, promote and sell Mantis™ on a non-exclusive basis |
| Local inventory | Maintain appropriate local inventory for customer demonstrations |
| Spare & wear parts | Distribute across the 48 contiguous US states for Mantis™, Hadrian™ and Firehawk™ |
| Operational responsibility | Operator training, mechanical maintenance, installation and customer satisfaction (US and Canada) |
The initial geographic focus spans five key markets:
-
Louisiana
-
Alabama
-
Mississippi
-
Florida Panhandle
-
Eastern Texas
These markets were selected because State Machinery is “well established as a market leader in construction equipment” across the region, with unique expertise in the Mississippi River transportation industry.
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
Who is Industrial Robotics?
Industrial Robotics is a newly established robotic equipment dealer based in Kenner, Louisiana. The business was founded by the team behind State Machinery & Equipment Sales, the same company that pre-purchased the first Mantis™ unit in January 2026.
The partnership between FBR and Industrial Robotics builds directly on the first Mantis commercial sale, a $990,000 purchase order placed by State Machinery in January 2026 that established the relationship now formalised through the distribution agreement.
State Machinery is described as Louisiana’s heavy equipment leader and holds dealerships for Liebherr and Hyundai Construction Equipment. That existing footprint gives the new venture immediate access to local industrial networks and customer relationships.
As an early signal of active market engagement, Industrial Robotics will exhibit at the Workboat Show New Orleans from 2 to 4 December 2026.
For investors, the partnership allows FBR to scale through an operator with established local networks, field operations and parts logistics already in place. This supports a capital-light form of expansion, reducing the overhead typically associated with entering a new territory.
Understanding Mantis and why the US market matters
Mantis™ is a high-deposition welding robot with a reach of 8 metres. It incorporates twin-wire welding technology alongside FBR’s Dynamic Stabilisation Technology® (DST®), which the Company positions for fast and efficient production in heavy fabrication.
The platform targets industries including heavy fabrication, shipbuilding and defence manufacturing. These sectors demand large-scale metal fabrication capabilities, where automation can address labour and consistency challenges.
CEO Mark Pivac stated that Mantis has conducted initial welding trials in a test rig format and is “now being completed to production standard” as the remaining specialist equipment arrives at FBR. The platform is not yet in full production.
The strategic significance for investors lies in the distribution model itself. By handing US deployment and support to a local partner, FBR’s Perth team can remain focused on product delivery and innovation, keeping overheads low while accessing the market more quickly.
Mark Pivac, CEO of FBR
“This Agreement is strongly aligned with FBR’s core strategy, enabling the Company to scale with partners who have local expertise, field operations, service personnel, and! parts logistics hubs.”
What comes next for FBR
Mark Pivac indicated the first Mantis™ unit will be delivered “very soon” so that customer demonstrations, sales and mass production can begin. No fixed delivery date has been provided.
The Workboat Show New Orleans, running from 2 to 4 December 2026, represents a near-term visibility milestone for the platform’s introduction to the North American market.
Ed Renton, Founder of Industrial Robotics
“I see fantastic opportunity for Mantis here in the USA and I really look forward to collaborating with the FBR team.”
The agreement opens a validated route into the US and Canadian fabrication, shipbuilding and defence markets through an established local operator. Rather than an immediate revenue event, it represents a capital-efficient growth step, with no order size, deal value or revenue figure disclosed at this stage.
For investors wanting to assess the financial runway supporting Mantis development and simultaneous product delivery, our detailed coverage of FBR’s R&D funding position examines the $4.7 million ATO tax incentive rebate received for FY25, the Radium Capital facility structure, and what non-dilutive funding options remain available to the company.
Don’t Miss the Next ASX Industrials Breakout
Big News Blast delivers FREE breaking ASX news to your inbox within minutes of release, complete with in-depth analysis so the work is already done. Join 20,000+ investors staying ahead of the market on ASX industrials and beyond. Click the “Free Alerts” button at StockWire X to start receiving alerts the moment news breaks.