Three of the top research-intensive and industrially collaborative universities in Ontario – McMaster University, University of Waterloo and Western University – received $35 million in funding over five years from the Government of Ontario today as part of a $50 million project aimed at combining existing strengths in the heart of Ontario’s manufacturing region to create an Advanced Manufacturing Consortium.
The Consortium is meant to lead Ontario in advanced manufacturing in the broadest sense, including in emerging sectors like next-generation additive manufacturing, digital components and devices, across a variety of sectors with the potential to make significant impact on a global scale. The three partner institutions have already established a significant critical mass of infrastructure, talent and know-how.
McMaster, Waterloo and Western have a strong track record in research, training and commercialization in the advanced manufacturing and materials sectors and are well positioned to leverage this strategic investment in broader collaborations to accelerate Ontario’s transition from our traditional manufacturing sector to lead the world in the next generations of advanced manufacturing.
The universities are already working together on a smaller scale in some of these areas and achieving significant results. For example, Waterloo and McMaster have been successful with the “Initiative for Automotive Manufacturing Innovation” and Western and McMaster have a successful partnership for many projects involving the Fraunhofer Composites Centre. All three universities have successfully collaborated on a project for lightweighting of automotive components using magnesium in an Automotive Partnership Canada project.
By leveraging existing research strengths, infrastructure and research capacity, the Consortium will serve as a centre for the development of new technologies, creating new products and production methods and generating new highly-skilled jobs.
Quotes:
“Manufacturing isn’t disappearing but it is being reshaped in revolutionary ways. That shift opens the door to new opportunities in advanced manufacturing,” said McMaster President Patrick Deane. “We have a great history of working with industry and university partners to create new products and processes to give companies a competitive advantage. Ontario’s support for this partnership is a vote of confidence in our researchers and students and signals the province’s commitment to the economic future of our region.”
“This consortium combines the existing strengths of three dynamic institutions in the heart of Ontario’s manufacturing region to ensure Ontario capitalizes on the transition from traditional manufacturing to manufacturing driven by knowledge and innovation,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “Our universities are uniquely positioned to lead the transition to manufacturing driven by knowledge and innovation and make a lasting impact on the economic prosperity of our province.”
“Working together, our universities are uniquely positioned to build greater economic activity for our cities and region,” said Western University President Amit Chakma. “We are buoyed by the possibilities this funding holds for research, innovation and a dynamic knowledge-based economy in Ontario.”
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Gord Arbeau, Director, Public & Community Relations, McMaster University, 905-525-9140 x27305, arbeaug@mcmaster.ca
Nick Manning, Director of Media Relations and Issues Management, University of Waterloo, 519-888-4451, nmanning@uwaterloo.ca
Keith Marnoch, Director, Media Relations, Western University, 519-661-2111 x85468, kmarnoch@uwo.ca
About McMaster University
McMaster University is ranked in the top 100 universities in the world. Our researchers and students tackle the challenges of today and the future, working to improve our lives and our world. McMaster research has impact. Our researchers create new materials to improve cars and detect harmful bacteria. We invent new medical devices, improve energy efficiency and are helping to build a future of opportunity.
About University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo is Canada’s top innovation university. With more than 36,000 students we are home to the world’s largest co-operative education system of its kind. Our unmatched entrepreneurial culture, combined with an intensive focus on research, powers one of the top innovation hubs in the world. Find out more at uwaterloo.ca
About Western University
Western University delivers an academic experience second to none. Since 1878, The Western Experience has combined academic excellence with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social and cultural growth in order to better serve our communities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western attracts individuals with a broad worldview, seeking to study, influence and lead in the international community.
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