University of Windsor Receives $11 Million for Research from DaimlerChrysler
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The University of Windsor/DaimlerChrysler Canada Automotive Research and Development Centre (ARDC) will receive additional $11-million investment DaimlerChrysler Canada chairman, president and CEO, Ed Brust announced today.
The investment will create additional infrastructure at the ARDC’s Automotive Coatings Research Facility, already among the most sophisticated coatings research laboratory in the world. Research into advanced paint materials and application processes is essential to ensure that innovations to improve quality, cost and the environment are achieved.
“Businesses like DaimlerChrysler must innovate to succeed,” said Brust, “This investment will ensure that the ARDC remains at the forefront of technical innovation and will enable DaimlerChrysler manufacturing facilities to maintain leadership in the introduction of advanced coatings technologies.” This commitment builds on the $500-million investment in operating and capital for automotive research and development by the University of Windsor and DaimlerChrysler Canada announced just two short years and two days ago.
Joining Brust in today’s announcement at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s A.G.M. were: the Minister of Industry, the Honourable Allan Rock; the president of the University of Windsor, Dr. Ross Paul; the dean of engineering of the University of Windsor, Dr. Graham Reader; a DaimlerChrysler NSERC chair and program leader of Auto21, Dr. Peter Frise; and director of engineering & regulatory affairs, DaimlerChrysler Canada, John Mann.
“The Automotive Industry drives Canada’s economy more than any other manufacturing sector and generates one in seven of Canada’s jobs. Global competition for these jobs, investments, and the many product and process innovations that make them possible is fierce,” said Mann. “The coatings research done at ARDC is already world class. With today’s announcements, we are significantly expanding our leadership in automotive coatings and process research to improve product quality, reduce cost, reduce energy consumption, and improve the environment in the communities we serve.”
The first cooperative automotive research partnership of its kind, the University of Windsor/DaimlerChrysler Canada ARDC opened in May 1996. The initial $30-million investment included support from all three levels of government, DaimlerChrysler and the University of Windsor. Since its inception, the industry/academia partnership has continued to support the pursuit of automotive excellence. The partnership has grown from 100 to the current level of 200 R & D positions and over 100 University of Windsor co-op students to date.
“DaimlerChrysler Canada’s incredible and continuing investment in our research and development partnership has enabled the University of Windsor to recruit more and more top Canadian students and faculty and to produce graduates who have the best combination of theory and practice of which Yves Landry always dreamed. It is a model, not only for the automotive sector, but for every other industry in Canada to follow,” said Dr. Paul.
The 45,000 square foot state of the art facility is the largest single component of the University of Windsor/DaimlerChrysler Canada Automotive Research and Development Centre. The ACRF is among the most sophisticated and comprehensive research laboratories of its kind, but will never paint a single vehicle that will ever be sold. It is dedicated solely to the intensive research and development activities that are required to remain globally competitive in the years to come with significant emphasis on improvement to health and environmental issues.
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