Canadore celebrates innovation centre’s 10th anniversary

Canadore College is celebrating the 10th anniversary of launching the Innovation Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping.

Also known as ICAMP, it launched in 2013 to promote the growth of Canadian advanced manufacturing.

It offers year-round services in design and prototyping, 3D printing, advanced robotics, manufacturing, and more. It operates as an independent business-facing unit within Canadore.

ICAMP projects have created or retained more than 330 jobs in the region and it uses Canadore shops and labs in project phases.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced the Ontario government is setting aside $1.1 million to expand the ICAMP facility to create a concept development lab.

This is on top of a $2.8 million facility renovation.

"ICAMP is a place at Canadore College that has the absolute latest technology and equipment that business people can come and use students are being trained on,” Fedeli said.

"The idea of the concept development lab is those ideas that aren’t quite mature enough, hopefully some of them will come here, mature and get to a state where they can come into ICAMP,” added Canadore president George Burton

ICAMP director Brad Gavan praised Burton for being willing to take a risk.

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"But he listened to companies in North Bay,” Gavan said.

“What do we need? We need technology. We need resources. We need a place to play to make that new product.”

To date, ICAMP has undertaken 1,100 projects helping more than 500 companies.