A one-of-a-kind laboratory
The new laboratory represents the first commercial-scale unit of the CREPEC, a group formed in 2004 to bring together Québec's foremost university and industry researchers in the field of polymers. The Polynov Laboratory's sheet coextrusion line brings the lab up to the standard of any multinational corporate R&D centre, making it the only laboratory of its kind in the North American academic community.

A key partner for local business
The Polynov Laboratory will provide Québec and Canadian companies in the plastics industry with the equipment and expertise needed to conduct preliminary trials on new products or processes. Given that most of these companies are small and medium-sized enterprises, investing millions of dollars in equipment before they have even tested their projects' technical feasibility might otherwise be difficult. Now, through the Polynov Laboratory, not only can they quickly determine the viability of their projects, they can do so more effectively, since the lab's equipment is already commercial-scale -- a fact that ought to minimize any problems associated with moving into industrial production. Overall, the Polynov Laboratory will help boost competitiveness among local entrepreneurs by broadening their product range and increasing productivity.

Innumerable markets
Because the laboratory has the flexibility to cover a range of forming processes, the target markets are innumerable: construction materials (vapour barriers), specialized paper products (decorative papers/packaging), the automobile industry (polymer panels), sanitary products (diapers, sanitary towels), synthetic papers (banknotes), and food packaging.

An investment of over $10 million
With a budget totalling more than $10 million, the project was largely funded by the CFI and the Québec Education Ministry, each of which invested $3.75 million. Private-sector partners, in turn, included Crompton Davis-Standard (Pawcatuck, Connecticut), the Polynov's main equipment supplier; and the Lavergne Group (Anjou), which donated the space housing the lab. "It's through networking between the private and public sectors like this that universities manage to successfully obtain their research funding," Mr. Papineau stated.

Impending research projects
"These facilities will be used by graduate students as well as by industry and other institutions as part of contractual research projects," said Professor Carreau. "A number of companies have signalled their intentions to date, and discussions are currently under way. The Cascades Group, a specialty products manufacturer, recently installed a 114" coextrusion line, means that they are now committed to developing numerous products. Laboratory tests at the Polynov will take on a preliminary role in the production process.  Klockner, Flexia and Winpak have also expressed interest in the lab's facilities and in the research carried out at the CREPEC."

For her part, Mrs. Charette said: "Canada is clearly becoming the kind of place where world-class researchers want to work. The CFI's investment in the Polynov Laboratory will only strengthen the general perception of Canada as a place for exceptional research and training."

According to Mr. Keller of Davis-Standard, the lab is at the cutting edge of technology: "It has the latest electronic controls and measuring instruments, and is hugely versatile when it comes to speed and configuration. This unit is in a position to produce any kind of polymer an R&D engineer can dream up."

Founded in 1873, École Polytechnique de Montréal is one of Canada's leading engineering institutions, in terms of both teaching and research. It is the largest engineering school in Québec in terms of its student population and the scope of its research activity. École Polytechnique provides instruction in 11 engineering specialties and is responsible for more than one-quarter of university research in engineering in Québec. The school has 220 professors and nearly 6,000 students. Its operating budget is $80 million, in addition to a $61 million research and infrastructure fund. Polytechnique is affiliated with Université de Montréal.

The Canada Foundation for Innovation is an independent corporation created in 1997 by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the ability of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and other non-profit institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that will benefit Canadians.

Information:

Chantal Cantin
Communications and
Public Relations Office
École Polytechnique de Montréal
(514) 340-4711, ext. 4970
chantal.cantin@polymtl.ca

Alastair Sinclair
Coordinator, Media Relations
Canada Foundation for Innovation
(613) 996-3160
alastair.sinclair@innovation.ca