About the Speakers

Windsor, Ontario 

Collaborative Partnerships Work Well for Automation Manufacturers

Two working examples will be presented along how NRC-IRAP assistance plays a role:
1. Regroupement des Équipementiers en Automatisation Industrielle (RÉAI) - two groups in Montreal region established in 2003 and significantly increased their revenues providing solutions to aerospace industry
2.Custom Automation Partnership Experts (CAPX) - established in 2009 in Windsor-Essex region following the REAI model

Featured Best Practices: Become more competitive and meet the needs of customers by banding together with other companies who understand your business and have complementary skills, and by working together in a collaborative and trusting manner.
Advantages:
- Increasing Revenue;
- Access & sharing risk on very large projects;
- Increased visibility and credibility;
- Access to complementary expertise;

About the Speakers:

Vladimir Franjo, Industrial Tech Advisor, National Research Council Canada - IRAP
Vladimir Franjo is Industrial Technology Advisor with National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) helping small-to-medium companies in planning, funding and managing R&D projects for the last 6 1/2 years.

Prior to joining NRC-IRAP, he has held various engineering and management positions for 12 years at 3 different companies in Windsor and Detroit area utilizing advanced engineering tools (CAD, CAM, FEA, CFD, DFMEA) to develop new products and processes. Vladimir is a co-inventor on 9 US and EU patents related to tooling and automotive product design.

He has studied mechanical engineering in former Yugoslavia and holds Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Waterloo. He is certified Plastic Mould Designer and licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario.