Jason Callear is Leader of Advanced Manufacturing in the Technology & Innovation group at Laing O’Rourke, where he leads a multidisciplinary engineering team working at the cutting edge of large-scale structural reinforcement. His team is pioneering the digitisation of one of construction’s most analogue processes, developing world-first approaches to super-scale reinforcement through automated cutting and assembly, robotic welding, advanced highprecision bar-jointing systems and integrated digital workflows.
Jason has spent 16 years at Laing O’Rourke developing manufacturing methods, production equipment and product platforms spanning precast structural and façade systems, offsite fabricated MEP, and advanced manufacturing solutions for reinforcement assembly.
Prior to this, he spent 20 years with JCB working across construction equipment and engine assembly, building a deep foundation in industrial manufacturing.
His focus is on bringing the core principles of manufacturing into construction to deliver efficiency, repeatability and certainty for clients. He is proud to lead a diverse, cross-sector engineering team turning ambitious ideas into practical, real-world production systems.
This session introduces the Technology & Innovation work at Laing O’Rourke and explores how digitalisation, systems thinking and advanced manufacturing are reshaping the way major infrastructure is delivered.
Bruce Bell will set the context by outlining Laing O’Rourke’s approach to productising construction and digitising delivery.
Musa Chunge will present the Digital Bridges programme, demonstrating how design automation and configuration are enabling configurable, rapidly deployable bridge solutions. J
Jason Callear will then showcase how advanced manufacturing is transforming large-scale structural reinforcement through automation, robotics and digital production systems. Together, the session highlights how integrated digital and manufacturing approaches are turning construction into a scalable, repeatable product.
