TORONTO – What is Canada’s role in the electric vehicle revolution? Where can we play and where will the threats come from? We haven’t seen a Canadian automaker in more than 100 hundred years – is it time to change that?
These are some of the thought-provoking questions Flavio Volpe, President of the Canadian Automobile Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), will be addressing in his keynote address at the upcoming Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) – Canada’s national industry event, taking place this year at its new venue, the Toronto Congress Centre, from September 25-28.
In his presentation, Volpe will deliver a candid view of the transportation strategies, innovations and collaborations currently under way in Canada, including the potential for a return to Canadian-made, not just Canadian-produced cars.
“The industry is being forced to switch technology and a lot of the current automakers are dealing with legacy infrastructure that makes the change difficult,” he said.
Volpe’s keynote address, entitled How Canada Can Drive the Next Transportation Revolution, will take place September 27 at 9:00 a.m.
At CMTS 2023, Volpe will also consider what’s next for Project Arrow, Canada’s first zero emissions, all-electric concept vehicle featuring materials and parts from 60 different Canadian companies. Answering the federal government’s call for a zero-emissions future by 2050, the project brings together the best of the best of Canada’s electric-drive, alternative-fuel, connected and autonomous, and lightweight technology companies.
“Project Arrow is the manifestation of Canada’s answer to the challenges facing the automotive industry,” said Volpe, calling the intersection of advanced mobility and climate change the test of our times. “It’s time to start thinking about where the next Project Arrow will drive us. Canadian automotive suppliers need insight into what that future is going to look like in order to prepare themselves to play there,” he added.
Featuring the latest equipment and technology advancements in machine tools, tooling, metalworking, automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, and digital transformation, CMTS 2023 is expected to draw more than 8,000 visitors from across Canada in all areas of the industry, including automotive, aerospace, energy, government, commercial, industrial, and oil and gas. The show will present 50+ sessions, 200+ new products, 500+ suppliers & OEMs, and more than one million pounds of live equipment on 250,000+ sq. ft. of floor space.
In addition to technology exhibits, live equipment demonstrations, keynote presentations, thought leadership panels, multiple networking hubs, and Smart Theatre sessions, CMTS 2023 will include an Emerging Innovators Showcase powered by MaRS and NGen, Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA) Tooling Pavilion, CWB-EWI Welding Showcase, SME Bright Minds Student Summit, and a Project Arrow display as the Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA) annual conference (September 26) is co-located with CMTS 2023.
CMTS 2023 is presented by SME, with strategic event partners including Canadian Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (CMTDA), Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA), CWB-EWI Group, and Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA).
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