Loop Technology looking for partners among Cdn. manufacturers

As part of MarS’ incubator program, Innovate UK, three British technology start-ups are working in Canada to try and commercialize their technologies and assist Cdn. advanced manufacturing in maintaining its competitiveness. Loop Technology, Inventor-E, and Invisu, are all British companies setting up shop in Canada to expand on their research and find manufacturing partners.

Loop Technology is using automation technology in composite manufacturing to reduce waste and emissions in the manufacturing of aircraft and large vehicles. Through its advanced robotics and automation technologies, Loop is working with established robotics companies such as FANUC and KUKA to improve throughput and efficiency in manufacturing while reducing the weight of assembled goods, and thus reducing its carbon footprint.

Ian Redman, Project Director at Loop Technology, went into further detail.

“Right now, most composite manufacturing is using automated fibre replacement, and robots can only manufacture up to 50kg an hour of a composite sheet. Through our technology, we can manufacture a larger sheet, or up to 350kg an hour, something that can be involved in aircraft manufacturing.”

Right now, Loop cites the biggest challenges as finding capital from larger manufacturers, as the heavy technology investment can’t be done on a whim.

“We’re focused on getting our high-rate automation technology installed into more factories, and having our equipment prove that it can be an enabler into a more energy efficient manufacturing process,” Ian says.

Currently, Loop is doing most of its work in a research environment, and hopes 2024 will be the year they see a large robotics or advanced manufacturing company take the leap to try and tackle sustainability initiatives.

Loop’s Project Director was asked about roadblocks in the Canadian market, and what he’d like to see changed, if anything, to hasten commercialization.

“Right now there’s a gap in funding to take us from research to production. The government support is there for research but not for a robotics company to scale up, find a facility, find a partnership with a manufacturer, something like that,” Ian says.

When asked how the North American business scene compares to the European one in the context of advanced manufacturing, Ian was clear.

“North America is willing to try things that Europe isn’t, so in that sense, it’s definitely much better being here. We’re excited to grow in Canada and we haven’t had any roadblocks in that regard. We feel like the North American market is more amenable to scaling up and it’s precisely why we came to a region with such a strong manufacturing footprint.”

Ian and Loop team continue to look ahead to 2024 and beyond, and he mentions plans to be out of the research environment and in a commercial relationship with robotics companies.