CPEIA, Tech-Access Canada forge strategic alliance

The Canadian Printable Electronics Industry Association (CPEIA) and Tech-Access Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help SMEs tap into the technical support that can help them bring to market new products and applications enabled with printable, flexible and wearable electronics.

Tech-Access Canada is the national network of Canada’s 30 NSERC-designated Technology Access Centres (TACs). 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, training related to new types of equipment and processes, and applied research and development projects focused on company problems.

Create a strong domestic supply chain to support our emerging sector

“Creating a strong domestic supply chain to support our emerging sector relies on building linkages between growing companies and the partners that can help them commercialize and scale for global markets,” says Peter Kallai, president and CEO of the CPEIA. “As an industry, we must take a team approach to achieve long-term success. TACs and colleges are crucial to this strategy and I encourage our members to learn how they can take advantage of Tech-Access’s national network.”

Twelve TACs are involved in industry verticals where printable, flexible and wearable technologies have applications, including life sciences, aerospace and automotive. The CPEIA Membership is already rich with college Members that are part of the Tech-Access Network — Red River College, Ahuntsic/ICI and Centennial College.

ICI, Canada’s Printability and Graphics Communications Institute, works with Ahuntsic College in Montreal. Their collaboration represents the strongest investment to date by a TAC in printable electronics. ICI has high-volume roll-to-roll manufacturing capability and deliver training and intelligent packaging solutions to industry for the next generation of interactive packaging.

Enable new products and applications with printable or flexible electronics

“Our work is a great example of how a TAC can work in a specific industry vertical to enable new products and applications with printable or flexible electronics,” said André Dion, general manager of ICI. “Through our other TAC partners, CPEIA Members can work on integration projects to bring hundreds of world-class products to market.”

“We are proud to partner with the CPEIA and look forward to working with its Members,” adds Ken Doyle, executive director of Tech-Access Canada. “Our TACs are key intermediaries supporting and enabling Canadian innovation. We work with hundreds of great companies every year to drive their success and improve Canada’s global competitiveness. Printable, flexible and wearable electronics is a vital emerging sector where I believe our member Technology Access Centres can add substantial value.”

The Memorandum of Understanding is a non-financial commitment between the two organizations to collaborate on a number of initiatives over the next three years with options to renew. These include participation in technical working groups and educational events such as webinars, technical seminars and conferences.