London woos advanced manufacturers

The University of Western Ontario will soon break ground on a multi-million dollar project designed to attract advanced manufacturing projects to the London, Ontario area. 

The university’s new Advanced Manufacturing Park is funded through a partnership with federal and provincial governments. While details have yet to be revealed, Ted Hewitt, vice president of research and international relations at the University of Western Ontario, said that the new research park will be situated on 25 acres of land plus 3.2 joint acres that will be shared between the City of London and Fanshawe College.

“It’s big, it’s unique, it’s the first and only on the planet and it’s going to be great news for London,” he said.

Western will build in Phase IV of the research park, located on Veterans Memorial Parkway, north of Highway 401 near Bradley Avenue. The objective is to attract research and manufacturing projects which utilize advanced manufacturing technologies and products. 

Western’s role in the joint venture agreement will be recruiting research and development projects to the area and locating them onsite at the research park, “particularly projects that will mesh well with industry,” says Hewitt.

As part of the funding agreement, construction of the research park must be completed over the next 15 years.