Feds support R&D at Ottawa manufacturer

A Canadian manufacturer will receive close to $1 million from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program to develop machinery fluids sensors. Ottawa, Ont.-based GasTOPS Ltd., a provider of products and services designed to improve the productivity and safety of equipment used by the defence, aviation, marine, energy and transportation industries, will receive $950,000 for their research efforts. The project aims to develop optical measurement techniques by studying machinery fluids, such as fuels and lubricants, which will lead to improved operations of industrial machines.

"Our government is investing in science and technology to create good jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians’ quality of life," said Royal Galipeau, Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Orleans, who made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). "This investment will help bring solutions for machinery demanding the highest standards of safety, reliability, availability and cost-effective operation."

A Canadian Innovation Leader Certificate was also presented to GasTOPS Ltd. to highlight its success as an innovative Canadian firm that has successfully linked scientific research to commercialization, jobs and economic growth.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan provided new resources of $200 million to the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program over two years to support innovative firms in Canada.

"The support from NRC-IRAP has been a vital component of our company’s innovation success," said Dave Muir, president and CEO for GasTOPS Ltd. "Providing both financial and scientific support for the early and high risk stages of product research and development, this support has contributed greatly to our achievements."

GasTOPS Ltd. was founded in 1979 and now employs more than 100 people in Ontario, Nova Scotia and in the United States. For more than 30 years, the company has supplied innovative fluid sensing and analysis systems and specialized technical services for the development and support of machinery condition monitoring, control and maintenance systems.
www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irap.html