London, Ontario - Ontario's Western University has been praised by the Canadian government for its projects with 11 businesses across southern Ontario. These are innovative, industry-driven research projects in fields such as renewable energy production and medical-imaging technology, as well as biodegradable coatings with coatings supplier Line-X.
Line-X Coatings of London, Ontario, specialises in the manufacture and application of high performance polyurethane and polyurea coatings. Since polyurethane foams are very difficult to degrade or to recycle due to their manufacturing process, the goal of its project with Western University is to develop polyurethane foams that decompose when exposed to sunlight, which can be used in the packaging, insulation and industrial sectors.
(More information on this is available at http://www.line-x.ca/).
In a statement, MP Susan Truppe said, "The Government of Canada is committed to investing in innovation to create jobs and economic growth. … I am pleased that our government has supported Western University's partnerships with 11 businesses to strengthen this region's competitiveness."
In 2010, through an initiative of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Western University gained up to $750 000 to partner with small- and medium-sized enterprises on activities such as applied research, engineering design, technology development, product testing, and certification.
The initiative "helped kick start a number of promising products and partnerships between industry and our institutions that should sustain themselves in the coming years and give local business a competitive edge in the global economy," said Paul Paolatto, executive director, WORLDiscoveries, which is the business development arm of Western University, the Robarts Research Institute and the Lawson Health Research Institute.
PIC: A typical traditional use for Line-X coatings is spray PU to protect truck beds
"
