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GreenCentre Canada celebrates official launch of new facility
Aug. 19, 2010
Event marks opening of 10,000 square-foot centre and broad participation by universities and industry
KINGSTON, ON -- Researchers, industry and government are celebrating a giant step towards a greener future today as GreenCentre Canada launches its 10,000-square-foot Green Chemistry commercialization facility.
Established with funding from the governments of Ontario and Canada, and industry sponsors, GreenCentre fills an urgent need by both industry and academia, says Dr. Rui Resendes, Executive Director.
“Canada is the most inventive country, per capita, in the world for Green Chemistry and Material Science. Thanks to the support of our government and industry partners, we’ve been able to put in place a vehicle for capitalizing on research in this area,” he says.
“The response by both industry and academia has been overwhelming, with more than 160 discoveries from 26 universities and companies now undergoing assessment by our teams. We’ve got several technologies that are ready to license to industry, and we’re setting up two new companies.”
“The Ontario government was proud to support GreenCentre Canada with a $13.6 million investment last year,” said John Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and the Islands, who spoke at the event. “Along with our Toxics Reduction Act, innovations in green chemistry will help Ontario protect the environment and become a leader in the new green economy.”
Senator Hugh Segal, who also spoke at today’s event, said, “Our government is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the lives of Canadians. This new centre will create new, environmentally friendly, sustainable products that will benefit Canadians and people around the world.”
GreenCentre has eight industrial sponsors from Canada, the U.S. and France, with additional international sponsorships expected in coming months.
Based at Queen’s University’s Innovation Park in Kingston, Ontario as a national Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research, GreenCentre provides the scientists, industry experts, commercialization staff and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities needed to refine, test and scale up promising Green Chemistry discoveries to the point where industry can make use of them.
“Our company believes in the promise of Green Chemistry,” says Peter Snucins, Chair of the Board of GreenCentre and founder and CEO of Polycorp Ltd., an Ontario company specializing in engineered polymer products. “GreenCentre gives us access to the tremendous pool of Green Chemistry discoveries out there, enabling us to be more environmentally responsible and innovative. This is a resource that industry has needed for a long time.”
“For a Green Chemistry researcher who has a technology that he or she thinks can help the environment, this place is a dream,” says Dr. Philip Jessop, Technical Director of GreenCentre. “The old model of trying to get discoveries off the lab bench was so frustrating – now we have the specialists and infrastructure in place to grow those discoveries and really exploit their potential.”
The new facility includes offices and meeting space and state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with a broad range of highly sophisticated analytical equipment.
Backgrounder attached.
Contact:
Mary Anne Beaudette
Director, Communications
GreenCentre Canada
P: 613-533-6000 xt 78238
E: Maryanne.beaudette@greencentrecanada.com
About GreenCentre Canada:
GreenCentre Canada is a national Centre of Excellence for commercializing early-stage Green Chemistry discoveries generated by academic researchers and industry. Funded by the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and industry sponsors, GreenCentre Canada is dedicated to developing environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemical and manufacturing products and practices. It is governed and operated with the assistance of industry members from across the chemical value chain. Founded in 2009 by PARTEQ Innovations, the technology transfer office of Queen’s University, the centre is located at Innovation Park at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
What is Green Chemistry?
Green Chemistry is a relatively new, but rapidly growing, research specialty aimed at making chemical products and processes that eliminate or minimize damage to the environment while also reducing waste and energy consumption.
Who’s involved?
GreenCentre Canada is unique in North America, and possibly the world: it brings leading Green Chemistry researchers, international industry partners and commercialization expertise under one roof with a common goal of advancing Green Chemistry innovations out of the lab and into the marketplace. Participants include:
- Industry – GreenCentre currently has eight industrial sponsors: Fielding Chemical Technologies Inc., Ford Motor Company, NexCycle Plastics Inc., NOVA Chemical Corp., Polycorp Ltd., Pressure Chemical Co., Stepan Company and Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies (VWS).
- Academic research institutions and startups – Twenty-three Canadian universities have submitted research discoveries to GreenCentre for assessment. Three startup companies are also working with GreenCentre.
- Scientific and commercialization expertise: GreenCentre is staffed by eight Green Chemistry scientists and five commercial development professionals.
Milestones to date:
- 160 disclosures from 68 research groups at 23 institutions
- Eight industrial partners secured
- 3 startups engaged for potential technology development
- $24 million in total funding
- 18 highly skilled jobs created
- 11 technologies accepted for in-licence
- 6 Proof of Principle grants awarded
- 10,000-square-foot facility complete, including 7,000 square feet of laboratory space
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