OTTAWA— Sept. 27, 2016—The Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association (www.cpeia-acei.ca) continues to grow its reach across Canada’s robust college sector with the addition of Red River College and Tech-Access Canada to its growing membership.
Red River College and Tech-Access Canada add to a roster of CPEIA Members in the college sector that already includes Ahuntsic/ICI, Seneca College and Centennial College.
Red River College
Red River College (www.rrc.ca), a technical college with nine campuses across Manitoba, operates a Research Partnerships and Innovation program. To date, the program has attracted over $25 million in capital investment to the College, which has helped to support over 50 research partnerships. Applied research is the engine that drives this capacity for innovation by matching industry problems and needs with College expertise, resources, capabilities and facilities.
With industry support, Red River College has established, or is in the process of establishing, the following applied research centres:
- ATEC: Advanced Transportation and Energy Centre
- CARSI: Centre for Applied Research in Sustainable Infrastructure
- CATT: Centre for Aerospace Technology and Training
- CBEP: Centre for Building Envelope Performance
- CNDI: Centre for Non-Destructive Inspection
- EVTEC: Electric Vehicle Technology and Education Centre
- PGI: Paterson Global Foods Institute
- TACAM: Technology Access Centre for Manufacturing & Aerospace Applied Research
When it comes to printable and flexible electronics, interaction between other CPEIA Members and Red River College could center on intelligent buildings and smart parts for the aerospace industry. The College and its research centres could serve as application developers and integrators of existing components for industrial applications.
Tech-Access Canada
Tech-Access Canada (www.tech-access.ca) is the national network of Canada’s 30 NSERC-designated Technology Access Centres (TACs). These include research centres at Red River College.
TACs are specialized applied research and development centres affiliated with publicly-funded colleges and cégeps. These demand-driven centres, from BC to PEI, help Canadian businesses – especially Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) – get their products, processes and services market-ready by offering specialized technical services, providing training related to new types of equipment and processes, and conducting applied research and development projects focused on company problems.
TACs are focused primarily on the industrial sector of importance to their region, but collaborate with clients and partners across the country, and internationally. TACs serve firms in a variety of industry verticals, including:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Construction technology
- Digital media and graphic communications
- Healthcare technology
- Nanotechnology
- Transportation
Twelve TACs are involved in industry verticals where printable, flexible and wearable technologies have applications, including life sciences, aerospace and automotive. Tech Access Canada will help other CPEIA Members engage with these centres.
“Canada’s colleges provide industry with specialized and applied research capabilities to overcome key technical hurdles to commercialization,” said Mark Majewski, President and CEO of the CPEIA. “A highly collaborative approach across faculties, such as software, electronics and lifesciences, ensures a project has the multidisciplinary expertise it needs, right on campus. Each of these R&D centres already has a relationship with a local industry base of companies that could become end-users for printable and flexible electronics. I encourage CPEIA Members to work with colleges on integration projects to bring world-class products to market.”
Get in touch
If you are interested working with any of the CPEIA’s college Members or a TAC, please contact Mark Majewski at pkallai@cpeia-acei.ca or 613-795-8181 and he can facilitate an introduction.
To become a Member of the CPEIA, please contact Mark Majewski, President and CEO, at pkallai@cpeia-acei.ca or +1 613-795-8181.
The CPEIA also has opportunities for corporate and media sponsorships of our programs and events.
Media inquiries can be directed to Leo Valiquette, Director of Programs, at lvaliquette@cpeia-acei.ca or +1 613-769-9479.