Feds put $8.4M into manufacturing and construction innovation
Seven projects in the Edmonton region will share more than $8.4 million from the Regional Tariff Response Initiative from Prairies Economic Development Canada. Among the recipients is Flexxaire, which develops fans for heavy-duty diesel engine machinery. It received a total of $3.4 million for two phases of a project. The first will advance automation to allow for production 24 hours a day, five days a week; the second will enable higher throughput, tighter process control, and the certifications required to access markets in Europe. "We're increasing our in-house capability, improving productivity, and positioning the business to scale globally while keeping high-value engineering and manufacturing jobs in Canada," Flexxaire CEO Jon McCallum said in a release.
The other companies will each receive $1 million for their projects. Akash Homes will apply the funding to an AI solution to tackle data fragmentation, enabling it to scale up homebuilding across the Prairies. "This investment from PrairiesCan means we can keep pushing in an industry that does not always embrace change quickly," the Akash Group of Companies posted, noting the help it got from AltaML. "We think that is the opportunity."
Modular housing and office manufacturer Alta-Fab Structures will use its funding to automate cabinetry manufacturing, upgrade facilities, improve welding equipment, and train staff at its Nisku facility. Weldco-Beales Manufacturing will integrate automation and specialized welding processes to increase production of high-durability steel attachments used on heavy vehicles and equipment. The investment will help the company expand sales in domestic and Latin American markets. Whitemud Ironworks, with offices in Edmonton and Nisku, will upgrade its facility with a new crane system and laser cutting table that will allow the company to customize steel products, reducing the reliance on imported custom steel. And Redwater-based Armtec Inc. will add a mobile culvert steel manufacturing mill to support steel pipe production at remote sites.
