The Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association (CKCA) and the Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario (WMCO) have secured funding from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen).NGen is investing nearly $1.3 million for 13 advanced manufacturing organizations nationwide.
The funds are designed to support collaborative and innovation-driven initiatives across Canada’s secondary wood manufacturing sector and strengthen Canada’s manufacturing sectors.
“The Advanced Manufacturing Cluster, a cornerstone of Canada’s Global Innovation Clusters initiative, is a vital driver in enhancing the competitiveness and sustainable growth of our manufacturing sector,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.
“By leveraging the power of collaboration and investing in critical areas like artificial intelligence and robotics, the Cluster is helping accelerate the development, adoption and commercialization of advanced technologies. I am proud to highlight our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting regional economic development while creating opportunities for the manufacturing ecosystem.”
“The NGEN (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada) Cluster Accelerator Program is a small funding program to assist new and existing Canadian clusters and covers $100,000 of a $250,000 spend, or 40 per cent of costs and ends in March,” says David Emmerson, WMCO’s chief financial officer.
“It’s designed to help support our cluster development and activities. It will assist WMCO in covering costs associated with collaboration activities, networking events, a technology mission to Hannover, plant tours, and training events.
“WMCO's objective is to enhance competitiveness, sustainability and productivity of Ontario’s wood manufacturing sector by creating a digital knowledge hub, industry training programs, and fostering collaborative R&D projects.”
“The CKCA Advanced Manufacturing Peer Group (AMPG) is a national initiative led by members of the Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association,” says Sandra Wood, CKCA’s executive director.
“It brings together cabinet manufacturers who are committed to improving productivity, quality, and competitiveness through automation, digital workflows, and continuous improvement. The collaborative (cluster) approach helps reduce R&D costs and brings solutions to the industry in a more affordable way leveraging a group approach.
“With the assistance of NGen funding, CKCA was able to hire engineers and work with a volunteer member company - Muskoka Cabinet Company - to develop, test and pilot the first of many new technologies CKCA plans to create. There are so many more possibilities through AMPG that can make tangible, positive changes for the industry. This is just the beginning.“
