Automating Industrial Innovation

The pre-fab, modular construction industry has attempted to automate with varying levels of success for years. Its biggest struggle? The products are always changing!

Not an ideal situation for automation. REKO set out to address this problem with custom software—and joined forces with Opreto to make it happen.

When Reko Automation Group decided to automate production in modular construction, they ran into a familiar wall: variability. Every prefab component—whether it's a partition, floor, or structural panel—is a little different. That kind of customization is great for builders, but it's a nightmare for automation. Traditional robot programming is slow, manual, and often not worth the effort for one-off parts.

To make automation viable, Reko needed software that could keep up with constant change. They partnered with Opreto on a solution that could take CAD files for custom parts and instantly generate robot-ready code—no manual intervention, no robotics expertise required.

ParaPro isn't just automating a task. It's flipping the entire approach to how these systems are commissioned. Instead of manually programming each change in a production line, users can now work in a virtual environment, test everything digitally, and push updates to the floor with confidence.

"Our goal was to make automation accessible. We're empowering teams that don't have automation experience to program machines. And they can do it entirely offline — no downtime, no retooling delays."

Michael Mendonca, Reko

Opreto's team made key architectural decisions early, like integrating RoboDK to provide a robust simulation engine. That foresight helped accelerate development and simplify what could've become a much heavier lift.

"That was something Opreto brought to the table," said Mendonca. "We didn't ask for it. They saw the opportunity and ran with it. That's the kind of partner you want on a project like this."

The collaboration didn't stop at technical strategy. Opreto embedded deeply with Reko's development team, building what felt less like a contractor relationship and more like a single, blended unit.

As version one nears completion, Reko is already exploring new markets for ParaPro, from prefab housing to automotive, mining, and other sectors with variable product builds. The platform's flexible architecture, built from day one to adapt and evolve, makes that kind of expansion seamless.

"This isn't a niche tool," said Mendonca. "Prefab is already massive, and the same need exists in other sectors where change is constant."

Beyond the market opportunity, the partnership has redefined what's possible when deep domain expertise meets agile software execution.

"Our goal is to change the way automation is done," Mendonca said. "We're not just improving efficiency—we're enabling a shift."

"As someone who started my career programming robots, this feels like going to the moon. It's a completely new way to think about automation."

Michael Mendonca, Reko