President and CEO of Jones Packaging, Ron Harris (second from left) shows MP Susan Truppe (middle) and Ed Holder (right) some of things they’re able to do at the company.
London West MP and Minister of State (Science and Technology), Ed Holder, has announced funding aimed to help the manufacturing sector in London.
Holder says $5-million will be given to the National Research Council of Canada, which is based in London, to help find ways to make manufacturing more competitive around the globe.
The funding aims to find innovations, efficiency and more affordable ways to allow the sector to grown and become more a part of the 21st century.
Holder says this will give the companies a helping hand.
“For companies and businesses who are the job creators who need help, assistance or research. This is in terms of making products faster, more reliable, lighter. It helps them compete in the global market. They can now look to the National Research Council for support.”
Holder says Western and Fanshawe will have a role in this as well with their research parks.
“When we support parks like Western and Fanshawe have off of Veterans Memorial Parkway. We’re making a statement that we support the kind of technology that is necessary for companies to compete and win.”
The President of the Nation Research Council, John McDougall, says both Western and Fanshawe have pieces to make these kinds of projects successful.
“The training, curiosity, research and the hands on kind of training is crucially important.”
McDougall says this will allow them to expand in new areas of research.
“This investment will increase NRC’s capacity to provide industry with access to leading-edge expertise, facilities and equipment, and support Canada’s economic growth and prosperity. With this investment, we will help businesses overcome their technology and innovation challenges and increase their competitiveness and growth in the marketplace.”
He says that London is great area to have this kind of opportunity.
“The southern Ontario corridor is very strong. London is positioned strategically in the middle of it. So it’s actually a natural place to try to provide capability.”
McDougall hopes this will help improve the relationship between the NRC and the manufacturing sector in London and across southern Ontario.
The announcement was made at Jones Packaging. Their President and CEO, Ron Harris, says it’s great that more support will be available to them.
“It is difficult to go alone in an increasingly competitive marketplace. NRC has proven to be an invaluable partner in our business, particularly when it comes to the development of new product applications. The Factory of the Future program will provide important resources to assist manufacturers stay in step with the rapid pace of change.”
The funding comes from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s announcement in London back in November about commitment to public infrastructure.
