Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Presidium Equipment Ltd. is a London, Ontario-based disruptive technology company that was established in 2011. Presidium's mission is to revolutionize how products are designed and manufactured through innovative technologies, with a focus on creating new engineered composite materials. Their Innovation Center in London has cutting-edge capabilities such as two Covestro Baule commercial meter/mix machines, an in-house composite tooling fabrication facility, a small-scale pilot plant, analytical testing equipment, and physical property testing equipment. Presidium has spent over five years formulating and commercialization rigid thermoset polyurethanes that outperform traditional materials in several aspects. The main objective of this project is to create a new product line of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPUs) that will be manufactured in Canada. This research will help to formulate these TPU resins, optimize resin synthesis and production methods, identify the ideal processing conditions, and validate the physical properties of the resins. Presidium anticipates that the proposed production method will create resins with higher-than-normal crystallinity, resulting in faster cycle times for customers. This project will also entail screening unique building blocks that are bio-derived, creating a more sustainable end-product. There are many anticipated benefits of this project, both environmentally and economically. Firstly, current thermoset polyurethanes are not recyclable, but the proposed thermoplastics will be, meeting customer demand for sustainable materials. Secondly, the creation of a higher-crystalline resin will allow Presidium's resin to have a 30% reduction in cycle time. This benefit will be passed on to the end-user as they are able to work more efficiently, saving time and money. Thirdly, as Presidium increases its manufacturing capacity to accommodate the commercialization of the proposed TPUs, Presidium will create new jobs and purchase new equipment to support this anticipated growth.