OTTAWA, May 26, 2009 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced a $3.1 million repayable investment in research and development (R&D) to be undertaken by TransCore Link Logistics Inc. for the satellite-based tracking of goods and monitoring of products.
“Support for this project will create Canadian jobs and will increase the security of goods coming into Canada,” said Minister Clement. “This new technology is going to benefit small and medium-sized businesses by making their shipping process more efficient. It will benefit consumers by helping to ensure that what they buy is what they get, and it will create a lot of opportunities for innovation.”
Through this R&D project totalling $10.4 million, TransCore will evolve GPS-related, wireless and data transfer technologies for its GlobalWave system, which tracks and monitors goods and vehicles travelling through global supply chains in order to improve shipping security, fleet management and performance. Both commercial and military shipments can benefit from improved safety, security and efficiency.
“The Government of Canada's support will allow us to undertake this innovative R&D project in Canada,” said David Roscoe, Vice President of Hardware Engineering and R&D at GlobalWave. “It will help us meet the global need for improved supply-chain security products in a timely manner.”
This project will create and/or maintain an average of 20 high-quality jobs in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata for each year of the three-year work phase. In collaboration with Carleton University and Communications Research Centre Canada, this project will also generate extensive technology-sharing and spillover opportunities.
“Today's announcement demonstrates that our government is committed to the growth and success of the high-tech industry right here in Kanata,” said the Honourable Gordon O'Connor, Minister of State and Member of Parliament for Carleton–Mississippi Mills. “Our local workforce is both highly skilled and motivated, and this investment shows that when it comes to getting things done in high tech, Kanata is the place to be.”
This investment is being made through the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI), which supports strategic industrial research and pre-competitive development projects in the aerospace, defence, space and security industries. SADI is managed by the Industrial Technologies Office, a special operating agency of Industry Canada with a mandate to advance leading-edge R&D by Canadian industries.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Pema Lhalungpa
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
May 6, 2009
Backgrounder
Government of Canada Invests in Research and Development Project to Improve Safety and Security of Global Supply Chains
The Government of Canada will make a repayable investment of $3.1 million in research and development (R&D) to be undertaken by TransCore Link Logistics Inc. to develop satellite-based tracking of goods and monitoring of products. TransCore will perform the R&D at its GlobalWave division, located in the Ottawa, Ontario, suburb of Kanata.
TransCore will develop new products and applications for its GlobalWave system, which tracks and monitors goods and vehicles travelling through global supply chains. The technology involves small battery-powered terminals attached to transport vehicles (trucks, trailers, railcars and shipping containers) that report location and other sensor-gathered information (such as temperature) to the fleet owner via satellite and the Internet on a prescheduled or event-driven basis.
Through this project totalling $10.4 million, TransCore will develop wireless sensors, improve the accuracy and battery life of its GPS technology, develop a new messaging product for faster data transfer, and expand the GlobalWave system for use on high-value containers transported by ship, rail and truck. These developments will help improve the safety, security and efficiency of commercial and military shipments, while also improving fleet management and performance.
Container shipping by road, rail and ship is increasingly the preferred global method for transporting manufactured goods. TransCore expects its improved GlobalWave system to address communication problems with satellite terminals when there is no direct line of sight to the satellite, such as when cargo containers are stacked on a ship or moving between different modes of transportation, when it is difficult to continuously track them.
This project will create and/or maintain an estimated 20 high-quality jobs in Ottawa for each year of the three-year work phase.
Since 2006, TransCore has had a productive relationship with Carleton University, whereby graduate students work at TransCore performing R&D. TransCore also has an existing collaborative relationship with Communications Research Centre Canada. Both collaborations will continue throughout this project.
This project offers significant spillover benefits. For example, safer and more secure supply chains will help preserve resources that may otherwise be lost through accidents or theft. More efficient fleet management also results in fuel and insurance savings and reduced energy consumption and pollutant emissions.
The technology developed could also have broader applications, such as improved wireless technology or the miniaturization of wireless communications products.
Located in Mississauga, Ontario, TransCore's Link Logistics and GlobalWave operations have 116 employees that specialize in satellite-based tracking and communications systems for the transportation of vehicles and goods. TransCore's all-in-one GlobalWave system is widely used for truck, trailer and rail tracking, driver communications, asset management and fleet performance monitoring.
The Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI), launched in April 2007, supports private-sector industrial research and pre-competitive development in Canada's aerospace, defence, security and space industries through repayable investments.
The benefits of SADI include leveraging private-sector investment in R&D, attracting foreign investment to Canada, helping to advance technology transfer and innovation and developing a highly skilled workforce. SADI is managed by the Industrial Technologies Office, a special operating agency of Industry Canada with a mandate to advance leading-edge R&D by Canadian industries.
For more information about SADI, please visit the Industrial Technologies Office website at www.ito.ic.gc.ca.
