SPEEDING AHEAD IN THE E-MOBILITY MARKET GROB Systems CUTTING-EDGE SOLUTIONS Prime Automation, Inc. COATINGS WITH HIGH-PERFORMANCE PROTECTION Dynamix, Inc. MANUFACTURINGINFOCUS.COM JUL Y 2 02 3EDITOR’S CORNER 3 It seems like the world breaks new records for alternative energy generation each week, with an increas- ing number of sources being added to grids all over the world. But alter- native power generation is often less flexible than car- bon-based sources, as one can’t simply ramp up or down the amount of sunlight shining down or the strength of the wind blowing. And at the same time, everything from microelectronics to vehicles needs better batteries, more capacity, better reus- ability, and lower weight. The lithium ion battery has been king for a long while now, but as demands change, more storage solutions are being explored. Whether that means lifting giant concrete blocks and stacking them up to store potential energy, or experiment- ing with alternative materials for chemical storage, companies around the world are looking for solutions that will help shape the infrastructure of the future. In her latest piece, Smart, Solid, Sustainable – What’s in Store for Energy Storage, Allison Dempsey investigates what’s driving new requirements and what sorts of innovations we are seeing in this field today. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Allison Dempsey | William Young Pauline Müller | Nate Hendley Jessica Ferlaino | Robert Hoshowsky DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS James Corbett OPERATIONS MANAGER Severina Gachparova SENIOR CONTENT DEVELOPERS Scott Forbes | Aaron Ferguson CONTENT DEVELOPERS Alankrit Mohindra | Lily Mitchell Taylor Dunne | Wendy-Hood Morris SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Morgan Culpepper | Dean Lucas GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM LEAD Laura Pratt GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ashley Dowling | Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen IT ADMINISTRATOR Rebecca Sanford CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff Hocken “The lithium ion battery has been king for a long while now, but as demands change, more storage solutions are being explored…”INSIDE JULY FABRICATION & MACHINING AUTOMATION 4 What’s in Store for Energy Storage With energy storage requirements changing quickly around the world, researchers are continuously looking to create effective, long-lasting, and truly innovative solutions. Everything from grid storage at the large scale to the smallest of electronic devices has seen an increased demand for more capacity, longer run-times, better reusability, and higher safety ratings. 5 MANUFACTURING IN FOCUS STARTUPFEST 2023 12 – 14 July, Montreal, QC Startupfest is not only Canada’s original startup event, but widely regarded as one of the world’s must-attend startup conferences. This is the annual gathering at which entrepreneurs, investors, makers, large enterprises, industry veterans, and startup communities chart the course of technology entrepreneurship in a one-of-a-kind festival atmosphere. This year’s conference will see AI infused into the content and unique interactions to make your experience even more exciting, while doubling down on creating genuine, human connections—which is what Startupfest is all about. For more information THE BATTERY SHOW AND ELECTRIC & HYBRID VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY EXPO 12 – 14 September, Novi, MI This event brings together engineers, business leaders, top companies, and innovative thinkers to network and discover groundbreaking products encompassing the entire advanced battery and H/EV value chain. The three-day educational event brings together battery and EV/ HEV manufacturers, industry experts, thought leaders, and academics to discuss and help solve your manufacturing, supply chain, and produc- tion challenges. For more information or BIOMEDEVICE 20 – 21 September, Boston, MA BIOMEDevice Boston brings engineers, business leaders, disruptive companies, and innovative thinkers from the region’s top startups and medical device OEMs together to inspire the next life-changing medical device. Enjoy live demos and uncover the latest technologies, solutions and market-ready products from more than 200 biomed suppliers, and gain access to the experts with exciting keynote sessions, expert-led panel discussions, the Master Class Startup Series conference program, and more. For more information NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO EAST 20 – 23 September, Philadelphia, PA With a focus on innovation and what’s new in natural and organic, Natural Products Expo East is the event to attend if you wish to discover emerging brands, products, ideas, and markets. Enjoy educational content, networking opportunities, exciting exhibits, the Harvest Festival on Sept. 20, and the newly co-located Innovation Experience on Sept. 22, featuring innovative exhibits, experiential education, networking, and discussion. For more information ADVANCED MANUFACTURING MINNEAPOLIS 10 – 11 October, Minneapolis, MN Don’t miss the Midwest’s largest annual “end-to-end” design and manufacturing event! Explore the latest technologies, equipment, and solutions at this five-in-one event bringing together Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M), Automation Technology Expo (ATX), Design & Manufacturing (D&M), MinnPack, and Plastec, all under one roof. Co-located are the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society for Quality’s Minnesota Quality Conference and the Surface Mount Technology Association’s International Electronics Manufacturing Conference and Exposition. For more information INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Manufacturing Industry? To get your event listed in Manufacturing in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS ONTARIO PROMOTES AEROSPACE INDUSTRY The Province of Ontario is known worldwide for its massive manufacturing industry, which encompasses automotive, biotech, chemical, pharmaceuticals, communications, medical devices, and much more. During a recent business mission to Europe, representa- tives from the Ontario Government promoted the province’s manufacturing, life sciences, and aerospace sectors along- side dynamic new investment and job creation opportunities. Highlights of the mission included promoting Ontario’s manu- facturing capabilities to Switzerland and France, and announc- ing more than $4 million in investments for the province at the Paris Air Show. The delegation of 19 organizations to the Paris Air Show—the world’s biggest aerospace exhibition—was led by Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Announcements made at the show included Shimco North America’s new $3.5 million investment, which will double the manufacturing capacity at the company’s Cambridge facility. Additionally, Airbus Helicopters Canada stated it is invest- ing over $645,000 in new equipment and technology, which will increase capacity at its Fort Erie facility. “As part of these investments, which will create 61 new jobs, Ontario will provide the companies with a combined total of more than $634,000 through the Regional Development Program’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Competitiveness stream,” stated the province in a media release. The air show also saw meetings with leading aerospace compa- nies, promoting Ontario as a great investment and expansion destination. Some of the companies the province met with included Boeing, Bombardier, Collins Aerospace, Latecoere and Comtek Advanced Structures, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Raytheon Technologies, and Safran. Provincial representatives also met with global pharmaceutical compa- nies Roche, Novartis, and Sanofi, all of whom have invested in expanding their Ontario operations over the past three years. “Ontario is recognized worldwide as a leader in aerospace, manufacturing, and life sciences, and business missions like this help us to strengthen existing relationships and foster new partnerships,” said Minister Fedeli at the time. “Thanks to our global supply chain, which includes many of the organizations that participated in the Paris Air Show, virtually every passen- ger aircraft in the world has a piece of Ontario. Together, we’re building a stronger economy and creating opportunities for people and businesses today and in the future.” According to provincial data, “the aerospace industry directly employs over 21,500 people at more than 200 companies and creates an additional 17,200 indirect jobs in Ontario.” 7INDUSTRY NEWS CANADIANS SKEPTICAL ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS: REPORT According to a recent report, many Canadians are taking manu- facturers’ claims about sustainability with a grain of salt. Deloitte Canada’s latest report, Creating value from sustain- able products: How business purpose and brand trust can make the difference, shows a “substantial disconnect between how brands and consumers regard sustainability claims and products,” says Deloitte, adding, “Companies gain an advan- tage by closing the perception gap and validating those claims.” Not all is lost, however, as Deloitte states, “there is an opportu- nity for brands to build transparency with authenticity, clarity, and purpose.” From fair trade coffee to so-called ‘ethically made denim’ products, Canadian consumers are expressing doubts about brands claiming they are behind sustainable and ‘green’ items. Having an increasingly tough time separating fact from fiction, 57 percent of Canadians state they don’t believe these and other claims. Adding to the confusion, business leaders surveyed stated the public is placing significant (71 percent) or moderate trust into claims and their authenticity. Joe Solly, Partner, Risk Advisory, Ontario Leader for Sustainability and Climate Change for Deloitte Canada, explained that some companies are now falling into a false sense of security, “believ- ing that if they just produce a seemingly better product and bring any sustainability claim to it, it’s going to do well.” However, this omits strategic thinking behind the product’s creation. “Embedding purpose as part of the entire value chain can have a lasting and powerful impact on brands. Those that dive deeper into understanding their consumers and the values that motivate purchase behaviours will get ahead with truly sustainable products and won’t be accused of greenwashing.” The full report is available at www2.deloitte.com/content/ dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/consumer-industrial-prod- ucts/ca-en-consumer-creating-value-from-sustainable- products-aoda.pdf?icid=en-hero. 8INDUSTRY NEWS CYBERATTACKS TARGETING EMPLOYEES VANCOUVER COMPANY GETS $2M BOOST North Vancouver-based Novarc Technologies Inc. is receiving over $2 million CAD from the Federal Government to market its unique welding robots. The move signals the government’s support of the country’s high-tech manufacturing sector. Novarc Technologies is behind the Spool Welding Robot (SWR), the first pipe-welding machine of its kind. The company spe- cializes in the design and commercialization of robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems used for robotic welding. According to Novarc, its solutions automate the manufacturing process of welding, “allowing welders of all skill levels to work col- laboratively with the robot—increasing safety and productivity up to five times in carbon steel pipe welding and up to 12 times on stainless steel pipes,” according to a media release. “We are excited and grateful to receive this funding as we accel- erate our growth to reach new international markets with our automated welding solutions,” said Soroush Karimzadeh, CEO, Novarc Technologies, Inc. in a press release. “The funds will allow us to amp up our sales and marketing efforts, and expand our team with the talent and resources required to provide support in these new markets.” Novarc Technologies Inc. was named one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2023 by The Financial Times for the second consecutive year, and was named to the Globe & Mail’s Top Growing Companies for the third consecutive year. The latest research from cybersecurity giant Fortinet reveals more than 80 percent of organizations are experiencing employ- ee-targeted cyberattacks. According to Fortinet’s recent 2023 Security Awareness and Training Global Research Brief, organizations are facing increasing ransomware threat challenges. This comes at the same time as Fortinet’s 2023 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Global Report uncovered that 84 percent of organizations experienced one or more breaches last year. “Our 2023 Security Awareness and Training Global Research Brief underscores the crucial role employees play in prevent- ing cyberattacks,” stated John Maddison, EVP of Products and CMO at Fortinet in a media release. “It also highlights the critical need for organizations to prioritize security awareness and training services to ensure employees serve as the first line of defense.” The 2023 Security Awareness and Training Global Research Brief is available at 9Next >