Federal government invests $19.6M in seven auto parts suppliers

Apr. 21, 2016 – The federal government has announced funding totalling $19.6 million for seven new projects to help Canadian automotive suppliers “gain a competitive edge through the development of new innovative products and processes.”

Details of the investments, made through the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program, include:

• Pravala Car in Kitchener, Ont., will receive up to $9.7 million to develop a platform for network connectivity;
• Exco Technologies in Markham, Ont., will receive up to $4.6 million to make large high-pressure die-cast moulds for power train and structural parts using less steel;
• Verbom in Sherbrooke, Que., will receive up to $2.6 million to develop its process used in forming complex aluminum body panels and parts;
• The Electromac Group in Windsor, Ont., will receive up to $1.5 million to develop a prototype and process that involves using hot stamping technology to produce small components that are stronger and lighter;
• Axiom Plastics in Aurora, Ont., will receive up to $881,000 to produce a new lighter hybrid plastic/fabric vehicle component;
• Mojio in Vancouver, B.C., will receive up to $260,000 develop Cloud-connected solutions to improve driver connectivity; and
• Landau Gage in Windsor, Ont., will receive up to $121,000 to use its laser measurement technology to reduce measurement and inspection time of automotive drive train products.

The announcement by Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Bardish Chagger, minister of Small Business and Tourism at Pravala Car.

“These projects under the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program demonstrate how Canada’s innovative automotive suppliers are developing the green technologies that will shape the cars of the future,” said Bains.