SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 25, 2014 — Comau, a global leader in the development and implementation of engineering solutions for sustainable automation and production, is to be part of the consortium that will be awarded the new $140 million Department of Defense backed manufacturing institute to be headquartered in southeast Michigan.
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama will announce the partnership of businesses and universities set to speed development of lightweight materials across a number of industries including: defense, aerospace, automotive, energy and consumer products. The effort to boost the manufacturing sector will receive $70 million in federal support, matched by more than $70 million non-federal.
The ALMMII proposal was created in response to President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union pledge to establish new manufacturing innovation institutes with the purpose of serving as regional hubs designed to bridge the gap between basic research and product development, bringing together companies, universities and community colleges as well as federal agencies to co-invest in technology areas that encourage investment and production in the U.S.
ALMMII addresses the requirements of the government’s Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation (LM3I) project, bringing together a 60 member group that will pair leading aluminum, titanium and high strength steel manufacturers with universities and laboratories pioneering new technology development and research. The White House stated, “The long-term goal of the LM3I Institute will be to expand the market for and create new consumers of products and systems that utilize new, lightweight, high performing metals and alloys by removing technological barriers to their manufacture.”
The White House called it a sort of “teaching factory” and said it will provide an “opportunity for education and training of students and workers at all levels, while providing the shared assets to help companies, most importantly small manufacturers, access the cutting-edge capabilities and equipment to design, test and pilot new products and manufacturing processes.”
Comau has been invited to the White House for the official announcement.
“We are honored to be at the forefront of technology development efforts that will expand the potential for new, lightweight metals by improving the skills and competencies needed for their production” explains Martin Kinsella, Comau’s Director of Advanced Materials and Process Technologies. “Comau has a longstanding history of applying advanced research and innovation to improve manufacturing processes within mission-critical industries, and we are looking forward to combining our experience with that of the extended team to increase access to high-performance, lightweight metals within modern manufacturing.”
Comau, which began in 1973 as the COnsorzio MAcchine Utensili, was founded upon the shared principals of innovation and excellence.
About Comau
Comau is the worldwide leader in manufacturing flexible, automatic systems and integrating products, processes and services that increase efficiency while lowering overall costs. Headquartered in Turin, Italy, with an international network that spans 13 countries, Comau uses the latest technology and processes to deliver advanced turnkey systems that consistently exceed the expectations of its customers. Comau specializes in body welding & assembly, powertrain machining & assembly, robotics and maintenance as well as environmental services for a wide range of industrial sectors. The continuous expansion and improvement of its product range enables Comau to guarantee customized assistance at all phases of a project - from design, implementation and installation, to production start-up and maintenance services.
For further information about Comau’s consolidated experience and its vast portfolio of products and services, visit www.comau.com.
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