If you are reading this, then you have probably spent a good deal of time on the deck of a boat. As anyone who has spent any time at sea understands, things can change – quickly.

What are calm waters on the outset of the voyage can suddenly rise and become unpredictable from one moment to the next. It has recently become clear that the same holds true for certain geopolitical alliances. Canadian maritime defence operations, which traditionally benefited from trusted allies and foreign resources, are facing isolationist attitudes and unpredictable, more costly supply chains.

However, these challenges are now inspiring national defence policy-makers to pay more attention to the capabilities in our own backyard, offering a golden opportunity for regional marine technology companies to work toward a common goal.

Dependency Dilemma: How Reliance Threatens Sovereignty

The Canadian defence landscape has traditionally been deeply intertwined with American technology and supply chains. This relationship, originally justified by shared interests and priorities, now exposes Canada to acute vulnerabilities. Our persistent reliance on foreign defence systems, especially US derived technology, poses significant risks to our national security.

Article 5 of NATO’s North Atlantic Treaty written in 1945 defines the principle of collective defence. This states that an armed attack against one or more member countries is considered an attack against all members, thus obligating all member states to respond collectively. This is the founding principle to the treaty.

Today, there is much speculation among military leaders that should the Arctic approach be compromised, and a crisis ensue, how many NATO nations would stand up and honour the treaty?

This uncertainty is the klaxon call and should be a call to action. As one defence insider notes, “[Canada is] liable to [the US President’s] mood swings that have drastically changed the relationship” continuing, “the rhetoric throws doubt on the fidelity and trust.”

The lessons of Ukraine have hit home: when crisis strikes, allies may not be in a position (or willing) to provide critical support. Canada cannot necessarily assume streams of equipment and support from abroad in the face of a true emergency. Real security, then, means a sovereign supply chain and indigenous capabilities, especially in core functions like surveillance, communications, frontline platforms, and critical combat management systems.

By identifying and investing in our own niche defence technology strengths, such as advanced navigation systems, Canada can both reduce its vulnerability and strengthen its position in a rapidly shifting global security environment, while building our own economic muscle. Additionally, establishing a fully sovereign supply chain is widely regarded as essential for safeguarding Canadaʼs autonomy and resilience.

Money

Domestically, attitudes have changed as well. According to a recent Abacus poll, “62% of Canadians strongly or somewhat support the announcement of increased defence spending” marking a significant increase from even one year prior. But even more telling is that support for an immediate halt of military purchases from the US has risen to 56%.

As these proverbial tides have turned, and public opinion toward defence spending has changed, investments toward innovation and development of marine surveillance systems are already burgeoning. Former Canadian Minister of Defence Bill Blair, responding to these tectonic global shifts, has pivoted and modernized the Trudeau-era “Strong, Secure, Engaged” defence policy with a strong focus on internal resilience. Coupled with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s focus on market diversification, securing the Arctic, and building Canada, this shift is vital.

The “renewed” policy, politely christened, “Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence,” offers CAD$1.4 billion over the next 20 years toward the acquisition of maritime sensors to conduct ocean surveillance. This investment level was eclipsed in the June announcement where $9 billion is being allocated in “playing catch- up”; on salaries, estate, and property; and the remainder on new capabilities aligned with market and supply chain diversification.

This Canadian investment is more than just maritime security funding; it is an opportunity for us and our peers to contribute to Canadian sovereignty. This $1.4 billion injection is plenty to get things going, but with Canada having agreed to spend 2% of GDP on defence by 2023 and 5% by 2035, there is a lot more capital on the horizon.

One of the key core objectives in the policy update is “to acquire new capabilities to deal with new threats.” This bodes well for R&D initiatives and companies looking to offer innovative technology to antiquated military systems, of which nationwide number more than 25 Canadian-owned IP development companies from coast to coast to coast.

Small but Mighty

Canadian academic and commercial organizations have the most to offer and know these waters well. We work, play, and shepherd our seas. Our collaborative and close-knit marine community is deeply connected to one another across disciplines, operations, and research areas. It is this interconnected community that is our strength. It is our best defence.

Canada’s marine defence strategy is undergoing a necessary transformation, shifting away from reliance on large, traditional surface combatants that are increasingly vulnerable to emerging threats such as drone swarms.

Instead, strategic focus is turning to the deployment of smaller, distributed, and autonomous systems that are better suited to protecting Canada’s vast maritime territory and responding flexibly to threats in the Arctic and beyond.

This approach leverages Canada’s technological edge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced marine sensing, with our domestic industries developing world-class decision support tools for Arctic navigation and domain awareness. By integrating AI with hardware, Canada is positioned to leapfrog traditional surveillance methods, enhance real-time threat detection, and secure a resilient advantage in modern maritime security.

A Solution to Procurement and Granting Bottlenecks

Sloth-like bureaucracy and opposition to change are perennial problems. This inertia continues to slow innovation and makes it difficult for Canada to keep pace with rapidly evolving technological and strategic challenges.

One innovative approach gaining attention in Canadian military circles is the adoption of private defence providers or consortia to deliver surveillance as a service. In this model, private industry supplies not only the required technology but also ongoing support, with the government paying access or licence fees instead of committing to costly asset purchases.

Responsibility for upgrades, maintenance, and technological improvements rests with the service provider, allowing the Canadian military to benefit from continuously modernized systems without the delays and expense of traditional procurement.

While still hypothetical in Canada, this solution could significantly ease government capital spending and streamline procurement cycles, making defence capabilities more adaptive and responsive to emerging threats.

With this funding becoming more readily available, the bureaucratic obstacles identified, and the marine expertise in house, it is now time to build a “Coalition of the Capable.”

The Coalition of the Capable

You may have noticed a strange occurrence at every ocean technology and defence conference you attend. Many companies and individuals tend to connect abroad more readily than they do at home. You have to travel 4,800 km to spark a connection with your neighbour. It takes two capable companies to be in a completely different environment to realize they have cross-functional and complementary capabilities. We need to align at home.

Collectively aligning Canadian marine technology operators with complementary supporting technologies toward a nationally focused challenge would give our sector and nation a significant advantage. For example: the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project seeks to deliver a new submarine platform to Canada by 2035. This is great and long overdue. They will be technologically advanced ships that preserve Canadian sovereignty for 50 years.

However, what do we do in the 10 years from now until delivery? A Coalition of the Capable can provide robust autonomous marine security in the form of stationary observation platforms (floating and subsea) along with autonomous patrolling from Victoria, BC, to Halifax, NS, via Churchill, MB, providing near real-time observational and threat assessment data. We need to utilize the best of Canadian technology and work together to solve the problem for Canada and Canadians. We can do this.

Allies, Partnerships, and Smart Sourcing However, we cannot do it alone. Isolationism is neither realistic nor desirable. A move toward defence sovereignty must be nuanced. Instead, a European model is garnering appeal: build domestic strengths, source mature technologies from like-minded allies, and reciprocate with industrial and training capacity.

Relationships with European defence firms like Thales and Leonardo are based on mutual benefit, technological exchange, and a degree of resilience not always present in the US relationship. This approach echoes Canada’s historic role during the Second World War as a training and production hub for the Commonwealth – a strategy of focus and leverage.

Conclusion

Atlantic Canada’s niche strengths in marine defence and surveillance are rooted in indigenous innovation: sovereign navigation systems, combat management platforms, cutting-edge underwater robotics, AI-powered situational awareness, and robust sensor fusion technologies. These capabilities are driven by a mix of seasoned multinational primes, agile startups, and collaborative ecosystems.

The region is not only defending Canada’s maritime frontiers but also exporting our expertise globally and shaping the next wave of marine domain awareness. Coupling this with amazing technology from the West coast, and the broader Canadian defence supply chain – with European derived specialities where required – would deliver economic, security, and market building benefits for years.

It also shows Canadaʼs commitment to a sustained and prosperous Arctic region.

By assembling a Coalition of the Capable, we will protect Canadian sovereignty as threats and technologies evolve. It is an investment in Canada, Canadians, and our shared values, security, and sovereignty. It is time to work together: who is “in”?

We Bluenosers understand the broad appeal of living and working by the seaside. The sweet smell of salt air and the kiss of ocean spray on your cheeks, harkens rolling sea shanties and an honest day’s work. 

But there are relentless challenges beyond the usual gales and tempests that accompany ocean life.  

Why Cathodic Protection Matters for the Marine Industry 

Corrosion, especially galvanic corrosion, is a silent destroyer of marine structures, equipment, and vessels.  

Fortunately, advancements in corrosion engineering—particularly cathodic protection—and with a little of bit of fore thought, your marine assets and modifications can be safeguarded against this corrosive force. 

From commercial fleets and shipyards, to offshore energy and naval defence, marine operators in Canada and around the globe require a reliable, certified and diligent cathodic protection engineer as a partner. With so many sailors among our ranks, we at Enginuity have unfortunately too often witnessed the devasting effects this corrosive phenomenon has on beautifully engineered marine assets. 

Intrinsic to Enginuity’s marine services is complete corrosion engineering. Whether you operate commercially, in research, or in the defence sectors, your corrosion protection requirements are the same. Learn more about our Marine Engineering Services to see how we can help protect your assets.

What is Galvanic Corrosion? (aka “Electrolytic Corrosion” or “Stray Current Corrosion”) 

Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals come into contact in the presence of an electrolyte, such as saltwater. This sets up an electrochemical reaction where the more reactive metal (the anode) corrodes, while the less reactive metal (the cathode) remains protected.  

The severity of galvanic corrosion depends on the position of the metals on the galvanic series. Metals like magnesium and aluminum are highly reactive, while stainless steel and gold are more noble (see fig 1). Pairing metals far apart on this scale—such as aluminum and stainless steel—can lead to rapid degradation in marine environments. 

Fig 1. This chart is used to determine the likelihood of corrosion and the electrochemical potential/nobility of elements. AG/AgCl (silver/silver chloride) electrodes are used as a reference.

“It [galvanic corrosion] can be incredibly dangerous and powerful if you get materials that are specifically terrible together like aluminum and stainless steel. You can eat away a piece of aluminum in days.” – Jean-Marc Guidon, Director of Engineering 

• What It Is: Occurs when two different metals are connected in the presence of an electrolyte (e.g., salt water), creating a battery-like effect. 

• The Mechanism: One metal becomes the anode (more reactive) loses electrons, the other, the cathode (less reactive) gains electrons. The anode corrodes over time.

• The Reactivity Rule: The greater the difference between metals on the scale, the faster corrosion will occur. 

Types of Cathodic Protection: A Proven Solution 

Cathodic protection (CP) is a cornerstone of corrosion engineering. It works by turning the protected metal into the cathode of an electrochemical cell, halting its corrosion process. There are two primary types: 

• Galvanic (Sacrificial) Anodes: These are made from highly reactive metals like zinc, magnesium, or aluminum. They corrode sacrificially to protect connected structures such as ship hulls or dock pilings. 
• Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP): This system uses an external power source to apply a continuous electrical current, ideal for larger or more complex marine.  

Here are four ways cathodic protection companies use to meet stringent technical, regulatory, and operational needs. 

1. Identify the vulnerable areas: Inspect hulls, tanks, propellers and submerged attachments for corrosion susceptibility.
2. Evaluate corrosion mechanisms: Consider galvanic, pitting, and crevice corrosion risks based on material composition.
3. Define the Design Parameters: What is the environmental conductivity(salinity)? What is the temperature range and the oxygen content and flow velocity in which your asset will be used?
4. Anode Type and Configuration: While aluminum and zinc are the most common choice for seawater, magnesium anodes are best used in freshwater. On hulls or near high-risk areas (thrusters and welds) it is best to install at equal intervals.

To determine the quantity of anodes needed, here’s a handy formula: 

Where Ic = current density, L =design life, Wa = anode weight, Ca = capacity 

Applications in Marine Engineering 

If you’re operating in or around water (especially seawater), cathodic protection systems are indispensable in protecting your marine structures and assets against saltwater’s corrosive effects. Common use cases include: 

• Ships and Boats: Sacrificial anodes are often attached to hulls to prevent corrosion. 

• Offshore Platforms: ICCP systems ensure the longevity of oil rigs and wind farms. 

• Docks and Piers: CP extends the lifespan of submerged metal supports. 

• Modifications: Any additional components added to the vessel require sascarifical anodes and often grounding straps. e.g. hull-mounted sonar deployment systems and davits. 

Two hull-mounted sonar deployment systems with grounding strap. Photo: Enginuity Inc.

Best Practices for Corrosion Prevention by Enginuity’s Daniel Horne 

For those familiar with cathodic corrosion, some things are obvious. However, Enginuity Mechanical Technologist and Team Lead Daniel Horne implores you to not overlook minimising the corrosive risks of marine environments: 

• Use uniform materials whenever possible. 

• Apply sacrificial anodes strategically and inspect them regularly. 

• Consider coatings as supplemental—not standalone—protection. 

• Please, do not paint your anodes! 

• Galvanising certain components can eliminate the efficacy of the protective circuit. 

• Fresh water and saltwater are different.  

• General rule of thumb – zinc for saltwater, aluminum for freshwater, avoid zinc in brackish water 

• A poor ground on your onboard electrical equipment can ruin it all. Use a good grounding(earth), protect with grease, Teflon, – polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is great stuff. 

An Enginuity SEALift SL-70 used for harsh marine launch and retrieval fitted with zinc anodes and PEEK screws.

“If you just paint or powder coat and you get a tiny pin hole in your paint, the corrosion is concentrated into that one tiny area.” –  Jean-Marc Guidon, Director of Engineering

Next Steps & How to Engage 

Saltwater is unforgiving, but with proper planning and advanced technologies like cathodic protection, engineers can combat its corrosive effects effectively. By partnering with experienced cathodic protection companies and adhering to best practices in corrosion engineering, operators can protect their assets, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure safety in harsh marine environments. 

Whether you’re safeguarding a fishing vessel or maintaining offshore infrastructure, cathodic protection is your ally against the ocean’s relentless assault.  

Ready to protect your marine assets? Reach out to keep give your gear the long life they deserve. 

​Marine failures can be costly, dangerous, and environmentally damaging. 

When designing ships and offshore platforms, or subsea infrastructure and mooring systems, all teams that operate in marine environments must be certain that their assets maintain the utmost structural integrity and everyone comes home alive.  

Beyond the risks, operators who wish to comply with international marine safety and classifications standards such as ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), DNV (Det Norske Veritas) and Lloyd’s Register, will have to prove due diligence in design and construction to obtain certification.  

Furthermore, for those working in the naval defence sectors, designing shock-resistant military vessels will need to comply with MIL-STD-901D & MIL-STD-810G standards.  

These are a lot of parameters to navigate well before getting close to the water. 

The Enginuity Marine Engineering team has a long-standing history of designing marine systems and components that withstand the harshest conditions on earth (well, at sea). 

Of the utmost considerations are structural integrity, fatigue-life prediction, high-load handling, corrosion, wave & current effects and shock/vibration resistance. 

Well before one piece of steel is welded, a thorough and diligent Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is performed to model for dynamic and static loads to predict fatigue. This exercise also accounts for high load handling shock resistance and corrosion.  

TOP 6 CAUSES OF MARINE STRUCTURAL FAILURES  

Using the numerical technique called the Finite Element Method (FEM) allows engineers to simulate any given physical phenomenon. The following is a list of the most common failures this method helps eliminate. 

Fatigue Cracks

Most commonly found in welds, fatigue cracks are a result of constant cyclic loads. Even low-stress cycles can extend cracks, leading to fracture and compromising structural integrity over time. Material selection complicates things. Opting for lighter weight aluminium is much more challenging when calculating fatigue limits than steel. 

Wave induced cyclic loads are the main contributors to fatigue failure. Irregular and ever-changing wave-induced loads make analysis very challenging.  Fatigue cracks are most often found in the following: 

• Bottom and side longitudinal stiffeners 

• Keels 

• Waterline area 

• Connections between longitudinal stiffeners and web frames 

Fatigue cracks with FEA

Buckling of Panels (or Plate Buckling)

Buckling is lateral deformation under compression, causing surface wrinkling. This instability risks structural failure, especially in marine environments with complex loads. Addressing buckling during design is crucial for structural safety and reliability.

Predicting the use case is the most effective prevention method for this failure type.  

• Overloading or improper load distribution 

• Compressive loads during hogging2 and sagging of ships 

• External forces such as large waves or collisions 

Corrosion

A significant long-term issue that weakens structural components manifesting in various forms: 

• General corrosion, reducing plate thickness 

• Pitting corrosion in specific areas 

• Galvanic corrosion when dissimilar metals are in contact 

Acidity and salinity are inputs of the design that inform section loss over time, material selection or both. For example: a mooring component would typically be calculated and designed to withstand a reduction of section thickness of approx. 0.5 mm per year. 

Enginuity designs beyond End of Life (EOL), meaning the component will continue to withstand the service loads well beyond its service time. The corrosion rate will be determined by the environment (acidity/salinity/etc.) and the material. Between materials selection, environmental conditions, and service life and service loads, the Enginuity team designs for those factors. 

Poor Design or Construction

Needless to say, inadequate design, improper stiffening, or substandard construction techniques can introduce weak spots compromising in a reduction of marine durability. It is imperative that environmental factors such as such as storms, rogue waves, and hurricanes, be thoroughly considered in design and during construction. 

For example, on February 15, 1982 a semi-submersible offshore drilling platform called the Ocean Ranger met a fateful end, resulting in the deaths of all 84 crew members. Several design flaws contributed to the sinking, notably a poorly chosen location for a simple porthole window, that allowed water to enter the ballast control room. Subsequently the Canadian government made 136 recommendations regarding design, training, and safety protocols for oil rigs. 

Vibrations

Constant vibrations from ship engines, machinery, or rough seas can gradually weaken marine structures.  

In the world of renewable energy, offshore wind turbines are constantly exposed to powerful wind and wave forces. 

Such persistent vibrations can severely impact the turbines’ longevity and operational efficiency, posing a significant challenge to their long-term performance and reliability in harsh marine conditions.  

Enginuity’s Lou Manuge often uses a linear dynamics package that can investigate steady state vibration loads. 

Even moorings are susceptible to vibrational fatigue. As an input for calculating the fatigue limit state, the Enginuity marine team will obtain a statistical model of tension in the mooring generated from a hydrodynamic analysis of the mooring assembly, and then simply scale the expected live stresses from a linear static finite element model using the tension data. 

Thermal Stresses

In ships, temperature differences between warmer cargo and colder seawater can cause high thermal stresses, potentially leading to structural failures in the hull. Expansion and contraction in all marine components and offshore structures are particularly susceptible to cracking, fatigue, structural weakening and reduced component lifespan. 

With respect to thermal loads, strains from thermal expansion/contraction using appropriate material thermo-mechanical properties such as coefficient of thermal expansion/conductivity or heat capacity, among others are easily obtained. Our engineers then drive these models with temperature boundary conditions, heat dissipation loads, simplified convection and radiation loads. 

The Enginuity team can also couple Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and FEA tools to generate thermo-fluid models, where the flow velocities and fluid temperatures can be incorporated to get accurate convective loads. Thus, solving convection, conduction and radiation physics simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy. 

Benefits of Using FEA in Marine Engineering 

These six factors often interact and compound each other. It is paramount that all factors are considered.  All marine operators desire reduced risk of failure and an extended service life. 

By correctly performing FEA, fatigue, corrosion, thermal stress, ensures that ships, offshore platforms, wind turbines and mooring systems will withstand cyclic loads, wave impacts and corrosion and maintain structural integrity. The results of the simulation analysis keeps costs to a minimum and ensures everyone gets home safe. 

Employers pay WCB Insurance for 4 main reasons. 

• They care about their employees.  
• It provides financial and medical benefits to workers injured on the job. 
• They don’t want to get sued. 
• It’s the law. 

And yet still many employers cringe at the amount they spend yearly on WCB premiums.  

But how can we reduce this cost?  

The Workers Compensation Board (WCB) Insurance was founded in 1914 at the height of the manufacturing boom in Ontario, Canada, and soon expanded across the country. The manufacturing industry looks a lot different today than it did 100+ years ago. 

As we settle into the 4th Industrial Revolution or “Industry 4.0”, manufacturers around the globe are transforming their processes with robots, vision systems and digital integration, and with these improvements they are unlocking enhanced productivity and safety. 

This shift has significant implications for workers’ compensation (WCB) premiums.  

Let’s explore how the adoption of these technologies affects insurance costs and workplace safety. 

The Intersection of Robotics and Workers’ Compensation 

As companies integrate more automated systems and robots into their operations, they’re seeing a notable impact on their workers’ compensation costs. Here’s why: 

Reduced Injury Risks 

Integrating automation and robotics in your facility can significantly decrease workplace injuries by taking over dangerous or repetitive tasks resulting in fewer repetitive strain injuries. In 2023, of all injuries registered with WCB, 64% of all injuries were sprain/strain in nature.  

Robots excel at handling repetitive tasks, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders among human workers. 

This reduction in accidents directly translates to fewer workers’ compensation claims, driving lower premiums. 

Lower Risk Profiles 

The injury rate is 1.38 per 100/year within the manufacturing industry alone.

Insurance companies are taking notice of the safety benefits that robotics bring to the workplace.

Businesses implementing these technologies may enjoy better insurance pricing due to their improved risk profiles. Automated systems can operate in dangerous settings, limiting human exposure to potential harm and hazardous environments. 

Potential for Significant Cost Savings 

With fewer injuries and claims, businesses can experience a decrease in their Experience Modification Rate (EMR), a key factor in calculating workers’ compensation premiums. Over time, this can lead to substantial savings on insurance costs. 

Smaller Payroll = Smaller Premiums 

The Worker’s Compensation Board sets premiums for manufacturers at $0.80 to $10.65 per $100 of payroll. This adds up quick. Even a small business with a modest payroll of $100k will find that this is a hefty expense every payday.  

What are the first steps? 

Firstly, conduct a thorough risk assessment before implementing the new tech. Industrial Transformation does not mean overhauling your whole assembly line. 

Secondly, simple Automation Safety Technologies such as machine guarding, safe motions and hazardous point sensors will have an immediate and profound effect on the health and safety of your operators, resulting in lower premiums. 

Conclusion 

The integration of automation and robotics in the workplace has the potential to significantly impact workers’ compensation premiums.  

By reducing injury risks and improving overall workplace safety, businesses can potentially lower their insurance costs.

As we move further into 2025 and beyond, staying informed about the latest developments in automation and their impact on workers’ compensation will be crucial for businesses looking to optimize their insurance costs while ensuring a safe work environment.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is WCB Mandatory in Canada?

All businesses in mandatory industries are required to register for WCB coverage. These typically include sectors like agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, construction, transportation, retail trade, service industries, and public administration

Who is covered by WCB?

Coverage is mandatory for manufacturing employers with three or more workers at one time in the above-mentioned industries. All employees are covered within the organisation, regardless of role. 

Are manufacturing plants required to have WCB insurance?

Yes, across Canada, a manufacturing plant would be required to have WCB insurance. However, specific requirements may vary slightly by province, so it’s always best to check with the local WCB office for precise details applicable to a particular location. 

Linda Peers knew there had to be better way.  

For years, Linda Peers struggled with lactose intolerance, a condition which is associated with uncomfortable gut symptoms. To avoid this, she turned to making coconut milk in her home kitchen as a dairy alternative. By chance one day, she became inspired to try her hand at fermenting it to create a source of natural probiotics called kefir. 

She chose to make it the traditional way by using kefir ‘grains’ which naturally contain bacteria and yeast and are reusable. That inspiration resulted in the creation of The Cultured Coconut, a coconut milk–based probiotic kefir, which she originally made for personal use. 

Starting small initially, Linda founded her company and hired her older sister in 2015. She began selling the Cultured Coconut at a small farmers market and a few local health food stores. Sales exploded via word-of-mouth, with Peers’ background in marketing also helping grow the company. With national grocery chains knocking on the door, it was time to take the Cultured Coconut to the next level and into a commercial facility.  She left the rented licensed kitchen in 2018 and now operates out of a 5,200-square-foot production facility. 

“I was making so much product that I couldn’t consume it all myself, so I just gave it away to friends and family.”  – The Cultured Coconut founder Linda Peers 

The Challenge of Scale 

Linda Peers now had a problem that entrepreneurs only dream of – how to scale? 

She had done everything right.  

She had identified a unique market opportunity, focused on product quality and differentiation, emphasised the health benefits, and participated in business competitions.  

In 2023, her company won the Atlantic regional scale-up pitch competition at the Canadian Export Challenge which led to even more exposure.  

With national grocery chains knocking on the door, it was time to take The Cultured Coconut to the next level. But fulfilling increasing customer demand comes with a new set of challenges.  

Precision Fermentation 

There are two strict parameters to heed during the fermentation process, temperature and pH.  All fermented foods must have a pH below 4.6 and in the early stages of the product development, Linda’s team had managed to achieve this handily.  

Throughout the fermentation process a delta of just a few degrees is the maximum amount of variance, anything greater compromises the whole batch.   

Optimising production and consistency between batches would be important for the continued success of the company – enter the Enginuity Automation Team.  

Real Time Process Improvement 

A large part of that challenge is optimizing production to keep up with demand.   

To ensure that the fermentation process would yield a consistent product, the Enginuity team offered a simple solution of installing the temperature sensors directly into the fermentation tanks.    

These sensors would send an email to her production manager should the temperature change exceed a specific threshold, giving the operators an increased ability to consistently monitor the fermentation process, even remotely. Using programmed logic in conjunction with Opto 22’s groov Rio allows for additional monitoring. More tanks may be added, or other parameters may be monitored, for example pH.  

Today the Cultured Coconut continues to ease the discomfort of tummies in an ever-broadening market. By staying true to its mission, keeping things pure and pre-emptively preparing for inevitably increased demand, Linda and her team are well poised to keep delivering a healthy, quality, lactose free probiotic kefir to all bellies asking for relief. 

Screenshot

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@Photo Courtesy of Cultured Coconut

Digital Transformation can be as big or small as you want it to be.

Enginuity Automation & Robotics Engineer, Ahmad Kammonah

One of the many by-products of this technical improvement was the forward-looking ability to scale. Using programmed logic in conjunction with Opto 22’s groov Rio allows for additional monitoring. More tanks may be added, or other parameters may be monitored, for example pH. This is a logical integration for a company that has recently signed with Empire Foods, Costco and is inking deals in the Pacific US market. 

Today the Cultured Coconut continues to ease the discomfort of tummies in an ever-broadening market.

By staying true to its mission, keeping things pure and pre-emptively preparing for inevitably increased demand, Linda and her team are well poised to keep delivering a healthy, quality, lactose free probiotic product to all bellies asking for relief.

A single tear ran slowly along her cheek towards the cold linoleum on which she lay. The pain in her right leg and hip was made agonisingly more acute with every miniscule effort to move. The ‘call for assistance’ button was well beyond reach. Her fear and angst were soon swallowed by the still silence and darkness of her room. She knew full well that at her age, even if she were to survive, she would never fully recover.  

Tenera Care was inspired by a story not unlike the one above. The company’s impetus was both business and personal as the Tenera team set out to help families live “happier, healthier and safer lives”.  

As the largest demographic in recorded history enters its twilight years, senior care centres are struggling to adequately support these baby boomers with ever diminishing resources. Labour shortages and government deficits have created insurmountable obstacles for long term care staff to provide the adequate care our seniors deserve. 

And healthcare is a complicated business.  

It is a perennial lightning rod of political contention, and it is only getting worse. But as ever, healthcare technology has a part to play.  

After identifying the glaring need for real time monitoring of long-term care homes, the company enlisted a team of engineers from Silicon Valley North, otherwise known as Waterloo, Ontario. Many of whom, incidentally, are still with the company some years later.  

The mission was clear, create a platform that would allow real-time analysis of all activities taking place 24-7, in a Long-Term Care facility (LTC). The platform would monitor and analyse the activities and health patterns of the residents, as well as significantly increase the efficiencies of daily operations, thus creating a safer, healthier, environment for both client and staff.  

But something this important, would never be easy. 

Putting The Fund in Fundamentals 

After a few false starts with teams in Europe and North America, the Tenera team recruited a small group of fresh Mechatronics grads (with a shared passion for audacious projects) from the University of Waterloo to carry out the initial R & D and MVP (minimum viable product) development. 

As any founder will tell you, funding for an endeavor of this scale will come from multiple sources, each one bringing their own concerns and conditions. Depending on the funding body, the mandates can be extremely varied, from determining commercial viability, to understanding build costs and pricing, to satisfying technical requirements. 

“While customers that believe in a product and are willing to pay are critical, investors also need to know that the technology works, which is difficult because they are investors, not engineers.” states Tenera CEO, Stephen Fitzgerald. 

Closing the gap between the financial and technical components of product development takes multiple skill sets and cannot be skipped if a founder wants to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. 

Technical Risk Assessment for Investors  

To some founders, this institutional due diligence can feel much like a needless obstacle and rather redundant. Yet, a thorough examination of the project and its components will quite literally ensure that everyone does not lose their proverbial shirts. 

Now that a sober-second thought was required, Stephen Fitzgerald engaged creative engineering firm Enginuity to evaluate the tech end of Tenera Care.  

An ‘arm’s length group’ was needed to secure the next level of funding, so Enginuity quickly assembled a team to examine Tenera’s technical approach and produce a detailed due diligence report. 

Validation Engineering-lite 

An Independent Technology Review is unbiased by definition. The engineering team comprising both mechanical and electronics disciplines performed thorough analysis of Tenera Care’s localization technology. Inclusive of the wearable transponders and beacons, this localisation system communicates via (UWB) Ultra Wide Band radio.

The comprehensive technical review of the hardware, software and firmware, found that the technology exceeded the requirements and expectations for a product at that stage of development.  

Although the report did not review the market drivers or commercial feasibly of the tracking system, piece of mind was established, giving great validation to the viability as interest in LTC was already quite considerable. 

Quick and Holistic 

It is understandable that founders may want to skip this important step. Anyone familiar with bureaucracy understands the glacially slow pace in which things sometimes happen, especially when you’re eager to get to market.  However, the lean team at Enginuity turned the detailed report around in 5 days, including working over the weekend.  

Commissioning an engineering team to closely examine your project requires being comfortable with a level of intimacy that can only be gleaned from a boutique firm like Enginuity. Larger firms are often far removed from startup culture, and unfortunately may have forgotten what it is like to respond to a need and a dream.  

Public investors are now prioritising data over “gut-feelings” and assessing and securing financing will always involve thorough technical evaluations. 

As the adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child, but likewise, the same village will care for society’s elderly. And ultimately, it will be due diligence that will keep our elders happy, healthy and safe. 

 A revolution is bubbling to the surface.

A revolution within the marine sector that will provide unprecedented access to integrated real-time data on the environment, biology, security and port traffic is on the horizon.

This initiative breaks open new and exciting opportunities for both the public and private sectors. Allowing researchers and operators to gather and process real-time data and then subsequently leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI), this will change the way we see the water, from Seabed to Space.

The collaboration, spearheaded by COVE has slated its home harbour for the initiative. With an impressive cluster of innovative ocean, aerospace, naval, commercial, research companies all occurring within a confined harbour space, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, is the ideal location for a project of this magnitude.

In this interview, Enginuity’s Daniel Baugh sat down with Levi Morrison, COVE’s Director of Innovation, who spearheads development of on-shore and off-shore development. Let’s take a deep dive what it means to the current state of ocean research and operations.

Daniel – What is the catalyst for a project like Digital Harbour? What does it deliver?

Levi – The intention is to develop and steward physical and digital infrastructure from which other products, research, and innovation can take place.

There is a value chain, that goes from the data that is collected, the instruments collecting that data, right to storing that data on the cloud to sharing that data until finally you get to the insights that that data was intended to solve.

Through having common dockside nodes and other new nodes that sensor instrumentors or others can attach hardware to, you are potentially reducing the overall cost of these projects. Then, through common digital infrastructure for the visualization, processing, sharing and analysis of that data, you are also reducing the project cost for other entities within the ecosystem.

Daniel – I can understand the first bit, because as a researcher, if and when I need to collect data and I have undergrads going into the field and deploying nodes, there’s the cost savings of having to purchase and deploy the sensors, but what’s the second bit? How does the cost saving happen there?

Levi – So, two fronts. Firstly, for the actual processing of your data it is quite complex. There are standards and protocols established by the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System (CIOOS), ISO, and other entities. And to visualize your data, you might have to develop the platform yourself, and there is a development cost associated with that.

Daniel – Oh, okay. So, it’s doing that bit too. Sorry, pardon my ignorance, I did not know that.

Levi – In Phase One we worked with CarteNav to developed and delivered an online platform where you can visualize and interact with real time data and click and learn more about the assets that are collecting it.

Daniel – Brilliant. Great to see company involvement.

Levi – For Phase Two, we are going to have a more public facing version of a real time digital product. This digital product will support a wide variety of different user types, from researchers to industry to educators, who can see and interact with their real time data or open-source data. We also seek to enabling digital product development that leverages real time ocean or spatial awareness data.

So, if you’re someone who wants to build an app tracking wave height across the harbour for recreational use, you could check which assets are already collecting wave data to support your application or deploy your own hardware and use Digital Harbour to visualize and interact with it.

Daniel – Wow, what a game changer!

Levi – One would ideally gain access to that data, process it as needed, and then leverage Digital Harbour in developing your application so that you don’t need to perform all of the work in deploying these assets. You know who’s already collecting it, etc.. The same logic can be applied for a multitude of use cases.

Stella Maris being deployed. Photo courtesy of COVE

Daniel – So, collaborative collection, for collaborative purpose.

Levi – You got it. Many predictive models are based off of historical data augmented with real time. So, there’s a lot of online data portals that focus on collecting and providing historical data, Digital Harbour seeks to connect users to the repositories of historical data that already exist, but more so focuses on the real time component.

Daniel – Right. And the more data you collect, the more data you have, immediately. And the bigger the data set and the more accurate your results could be?

Levi – It’s not just about accuracy, but the more insights you can draw from it.

Let’s say for example, you’re collecting water quality data of the total fecal coliforms from within Halifax harbour…

Daniel – Which is, which is a thing…

Levi – Which is a thing. Often there’s news in Halifax where, “you can’t swim here because there’s an outbreak”. So, let’s say you have six areas that are collecting real time data around total fecal coliforms, and you see one of them spike. Well, why did that happen?

Daniel – Alright. OK.

Levi – Well let’s say at the same time you overlaid AIS data to show real time vessel location and a bunch of vessels happen to be in the same location where one of your water quality monitors spiked. Well, now there’s an insight that it might be due to the vessels, and someone can go out and investigate further and determine whether that was the causal factor. Right?

Or, perhaps there was a break in a sewage line or storm-based runoff that contributed to the spike, but the more data you have availability to explore those causes, the more informed of an assessment you can perform.  Additionally, paired with other water quality sensors, perhaps this real time data would increase confidence that the water in a given swimming or recreational area is safe for use.

Leveraging existing oceanography models developed by researchers, real time water quality sensors, and having different data streams come together, you can gain more insights about how different parameters interrelate.  It is one thing to be able to say this is the water quality, historically, but it’s another to be able to determine in near real time, “Am I able to swim here? Are my pets able to swim here?”.  And then another to be able to say, “this is what we predicted it might be from, let’s potentially put mitigating solutions in place.” 

And then finally, hopefully one day conclude “this is one of the real time causes of poor water quality in the harbour; how do we reduce its impact in the future?”

Daniel – Of course. Yeah, OK, that’s absolutely brilliant. If we could back up a little bit.

Levi – Sure

Daniel – So, the way it was going on before, as data was being collected before, how was that being collected? It was a bunch of different parties, whether it was the feds or Dal or whomever.

Enginuity’s band restrictor @Photo credit COVE

Levi – Yes.

Daniel – So they were all collecting their own data? And no one was communicating? (I’m just guessing here.) No one was communicating with each other. 

Levi – Well, Data is often collected for a specific purpose and sometimes on a project basis.  That’s to say that it had a beginning date and an end date, and there was a specific question or outcome that the project was intending to achieve. There are initiatives taking place, however, that have collected water samples and analyzed them for sustained and considerable periods of time.

Daniel – Right. But sometimes sit on someone’s hard drive somewhere.

Levi – Sometimes, but CIOOS (Canadian Intergrated Ocean Observing System)  is doing great work in contributing to resolving that issue and academic institutions are often very open with their data. 

If we focus on continuous streams of data augmented with near real time data, then it could be used for additional research, additional innovation, platform development and a multitude of other things.

So, while we aren’t the ones that own or want to own the sensors themselves, that common digital and physical infrastructure helps further innovation through the Harbour and de-risks projects.

Daniel – So, the impetus for the project is enabling real time solutions. Is there another reason that I’ve that I missed?

Levi – I think there are a few. Another would be to minimize barriers to commercialization and to derisk projects. To understand how that could happen, you could look at is the Stella Maris testing solution. So, you’re a sensor developer. You have a sensor and want to test it in a marine environment for a period of time and visualize the data it collects.

So, rather than getting dockside permissions, finding places to deploy it, dealing with all the subsea electronics to collect the data from your sensor, dealing with the data transmission, powering that data transmission and then visualizing it, you plug it into the Stella Maris Testing Solution. Now perhaps your project that looked like it might have taken 24 months, is maybe 4 or 5.

Daniel – So, for example, if I’m a researcher at Dalhousie University, and I’ve got a certain grant then all those line items and all those costs are gone.

Levi – Well, maybe some of them. Now what if you took that Stella Maris and then distributed it all across the harbour at extremely relevant locations? Well, now you’re not just testing the sensors at these exact locations. You’re testing the network at these different locations instead.

Daniel – Yeah. So is that’s a step up from the Stella Maris.

Levi – I’d say it’s more like an evolution. It’s an evolution.

Daniel –  A “cloud-based” evolution?

Levi – An evolution based off of the needs of the ecosystem that we had captured.  A major component of this project is definitely the secure cloud-based platform, where users can upload, process, visualize and share their data in real time.

The benefit of Digital Harbour is the acceleration of marine innovation, de-Risking projects through leveraging proven technology and enabling data-driven insights to solve real world problems, in near real-time.

Levi Morrison is professional engineer licensed in Nova Scotia and a certified project management professional. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and a Master of Applied Science from Dalhousie University where he is also a part-time lecturer in the Civil Engineering Department.

Daniel J Baugh is the Creative Content Specialist at Enginuity. He is highly sought after for his background in both aviation and international communications.

It is widely understood that much more is known about outer space than the depths of our oceans, greater than 80% are yet to be explored or charted. The challenges of exploring and understanding what lies beneath the water’s surface are characterised by frigid temperatures, intense, exponential pressures and challenging visibility.  

What’s going on down there? 

Marine protection, resources, renewable energy and defence & surveillance concerns require significant investment in the information gleaned from sub-surface data acquisition. But acquiring this imperative knowledge presents significant and often dangerous challenges. Factor in the necessity for hyper-precise accuracy and massive data sets and these challenges multiply, quickly. 

There are currently ingenious teams working within the subsea sonar imaging and data acquisition sector developing and operating ocean sensor services that provide invaluable knowledge to their clients. Ocean mapping and surveying are key offerings of hydrographic and bathymetric survey companies in North America and abroad.

In recent years, immense strides have been made in the technology used to survey the ocean. Research and defence operators are reaching out to established companies such as Kongsberg and Norbit to provide them with the innovative technology needed to accurately ascertain the seascape, environment and targets of interest. 

Kongsberg EM2040C multibeam sonar head

These activities however can involve a lot of factors and moving parts. Sea state, weather, capable crew, operators, and product performance all have drastically significant effect on outcomes and results. Among the most important of factors is the actual deployment of the sonar.  

Vessels of Opportunity 

Traditionally, a “Vessel of Opportunity” is used in the context of emergency relief or disaster response when a vessel is repurposed for a task outside its original intent. However, this definition extends crucially to vessels that can be rapidly repurposed as effective mapping or surveillance vessels.

From Cape Islanders to RHIBs and Carolina Skiffs to pilot boats, with so much information below sea-level to be acquired, organisations are exploring all opportunities. 

Both public and private sector stakeholders have many considerations before beginning operations; the type of sonar, Multibeam or Single (split) beam, most suitable to the job and the vessel that is available for their application. The type of deployment is of equal importance and is dictated by the vessel available. Typically, SONAR transponders are deployed over the side or through the hull, both approaches have pros and cons. 

Through Hull Deployment 

This deployment method is favoured for its direct and uninterrupted signal, resulting in more accurate and reliable sonar readings. This does require modifying the hull. However, this modification allows the sonar transducer to be deployed to optimal depths and retracted safely and securely.

Mounting and deploying below the centreline of the hull significantly reduces inherent vibration and cavitation on the Echo Sounder resulting in imaging that is free of “noise”.

The process begins by preparing the hull. Enginuity’s marine and mechanical teams carefully select a site on the hull to ensure minimal impact on the vessel’s structural integrity while concurrently providing optimal sonar and sensor performance.

An Enginuity team member installing a through hull deployment system.

The transducer installation follows, involving sealing to prevent water ingress and ensures a watertight fit. If the transducer and deployment assembly is electromechanically actuated, an override switch is incorporated into the design.

Additionally, should the operator neglect to retract the transducer, automatic retraction is integrated into the system if the vessel exceeds a certain speed. Redundancy systems can also be incorporated, allowing the operator to manually retract the SONAR head should the vessel lose power. 

This type of deployment is ideal for when extreme operational requirements are present. The “hands free” deployment and retractable nature of the sonar, all operated from the relative comfort of the ship’s cabin, offer the utmost safety for the operator and kit. 

This approach also allows for a rapid transit to the survey site prior to commencing work, saving boat time.

Over-The-Side Deployment 

This method of lowering from the side of a vessel is particularly useful for temporary missions, shallow water surveys, and when permanent installation is not possible. More often used on small, open crafts, portability is a key benefit. However, cable management and protection of the portable transceiver unit is a perennial concern.   

Customisable, water-resistant enclosures housing the transceiver and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) are fabricated by the mechanical design team at Enginuity. The portability of the over side unit and accompanying hardware make even the humblest of RHIBs vessels of opportunity. 

In cases where the boat is already at the location, over-the-side deployment allows the researcher to fly into the location and use a boat that is already there, thus making any boat, a vessel of opportunity. Simply arrive, attach the SONAR to the pole, on the side or off the transom, adjust the IMU and begin surveying. 

A customised ”Deckbox” for housing hardware, PC and IMU

The flexibility of vessel selection of the over-the-side style is its key advantage. Although correct positioning is an added step vs the through hull type, today’s IMUs allow the sonar to be mounted and adjusted to pinpoint accuracy. Furthermore, the accompanying interface, housed in a customisable and waterproof “deck box” (also available at Enginuity) can upload data to a central server via wireless, or 5G connections. 

Broadening Horizons 

At first glance, it would seem subsea surveying and imaging are activities reserved for government funded organisations with extensive resources and deep pockets. Yet today’s ocean tech operators can refit any vessel with multi or split beam sonar.

What was once a cost prohibitive endeavor is now accessible to researchers with limited access to large, expensive to operate boats and ships. With relative ease, Enginuity’s mechanical and marine teams allow you to obtain exceedingly accurate data with the vessel you have available.  

Development Happens Fast 

Innovative industry leaders such as Norbit, Kongsberg and Teledyne have made successful names for themselves delivering cutting edge sonar technology to both military and commercial clients. As these high-performance products become more available and imaging quality increases, some requirements may change.

Flexibility in system integration will always be a key concern for ocean activity observers. Being able to upgrade your kit or transpose your existing hardware onto a new vessel of opportunity will remain an advantage that will help sharpen every detail of what lies below the water line. 

“If a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too.” – Sarah Connor, Terminator 2 : Judgement Day

Let’s take a trip in time.

Five hundred years before the Industrial Revolution, (aka the First Industrial Revolution) the waterborne city of Venice had the unique distinction of being the single largest industrial complex in Europe, perhaps the World.

The Venice Arsenal, forever immortalised in Dante’s Inferno, had pioneered production techniques for use in large-scale warship construction. This manufacturing innovation displayed incredible speed of production and efficiency.

While the rest of the world was still producing goods using the antiquated “guild system”, Venetian manufacturing leaders had streamlined a production facility capable of building, equipping, arming, and crucially repairing a warship.

The start of Industrial revolution: Venetian_Galley_(14th_century)

Production would begin at the head of the river, where the ship’s structure would be assembled, and as it floated downstream, each standardized component would be added by craftsmen. As she gently eased down the river, the ship would be planked, rigged, and finally armed. This is likely the origin of the terms, upstream, downstream, supply stream, value stream and yes, streamlined.

By the early 16th century, the Arsenal employed approximately 16,000 workers, achieving the remarkable production quota of one completed warship per day, on time and on budget. This efficient and creative approach to shipbuilding, made Venice an industrial powerhouse and a global power for 600 years.

To satisfy the supply chain, Venetian politicos seized and maintained control through the Gotthard pass over the Swiss alps to the bountiful German forests. This robust supply chain would be secured through the principle of “mercantilism”, as dubbed centuries later by Adam Smith, where trade is accessory to diplomacy, and diplomacy accessory to trade.

The economic success of the Venetian Arsenal was driven by the following key components; an assembly line, government protected supply chain, access to raw materials, division of labour and a very cooperative bureaucracy. Everyone got rich.

It wouldn’t be until the mid-18th century when these Venetian manufacturing principles would be adopted by industrial barons both in Britain and America, heralding the first of currently 4 Industrial Revolutions. Historians can now, in retrospect, identify and classify each revolution by their accompanying technologies.

Leadership in Industry 4.0

These “revolutions”, or alternatively dubbed, “evolutions”, by Enginuity Industry 4.0  Program Manager Dan Hill, were transformational shifts that not only accompanied massive technological innovations, but also ushered in momentous transformations in management, leadership and human behaviour.

In response, these process developments came with corresponding management requirements.

The divisions of labour that marked the 2^nd industrial revolution was accompanied by a “command and control” management style. This era also introduced the first consultant, American engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor.  Affectionally named “Taylorism”, this management system broke down production into small repeatable individual tasks. Taylor’s focus on efficiency and optimisation of human capital was adopted by industries worldwide and is still adhered to today. However, with the advent of Industry 4.0, the status quo has quickly had an about face, effectively redefining the roll of management and leadership in industry.

Are you a Manager or Leader?

Although great for productivity, Taylorism had 5 key disadvantages:

1. Human factors: Taylorism often overlooks the psychological and social dimensions of work and erodes the quality of the work environment.
2. Monotony: The division of work into repetitive, simplistic tasks causes boredom and dissatisfaction among employees. This boredom may ultimately adversely affect productivity.
3. Worker Disenfranchisement: The sharp division between conceptual and manual work can suppress employee creativity and initiative, making workers feel extremely undervalued.
4. Short-sightedness: Prioritising efficiency often overlooks long-term objectives, potentially compromising quality, and stifling innovation.
5. Increased Error Susceptibility: The high degree of specialization in tasks means that a mistake in a minor task can disrupt the entire operation, heightening the likelihood of error propagation.

These issues were not alleviated by the introduction of robotics and automation. In many cases, the problems were compounded. It may be argued that the recent (r)evolution is a response to the short comings of Taylorism.

Industry 3.0 saw automation and robotics work alongside the worker on the production line, but today’s Industry 4.0 has automation serving the employees. This is a big difference. And its implementation requires a deep understanding and expertise.

Enginuity Program Manager Dan Hill precisely describes the tectonic shift in this new industrial age, “Prior to I4, humans responded to machines, now machines are responding to humans.”

It will take leaders, not managers to navigate this paradigm shift. Hill clarifies the distinction between management and leadership. “Managers keep the status quo in perpetual stasis, but in order to grow and continually improve, an organisation requires leadership”.

Dan is well positioned to help organisations take full of advantage and realise their full potential. His profound understating that humans are the heart and soul of manufacturing informs every aspect of his work.

To fully maximise the potential of what this new era offers businesses, it takes a combination of technical and academic prowess. Enginuity’s Automation and Robotics team takes existing processes and seamlessly adds value to the production line by integrating many of Industry 4.0s key features, such as:

• Digital twinning
• AI Analytics
• Cloud Computing
• Industrial Internet of Things
• Cybersecurity
• Augmented Reality
• Intelligent Robotics
• Collaborative Robotics

Enginuity determines which aspects of your organisation are most critical to your business model and which areas will immediately benefit from an I4 transformation. This data set is thoroughly analysed by in-house savant Dan Hill who will precisely determine how the upgrade will increase Return On Investment (ROI) while avoiding any disruption to on-going commerce.

Working together with organisational leaders for the common goal of continuous improvement is one of the tenets of the Enginuity team. As the Arsenal of Venice did some 600 years ago, organisations can now streamline their processes without compromising human capital – a win, win for everyone.

Industry 4.0 is an opportunity for a brave, transformational future that can revolutionize your business. And that future is here. It only needs leaders to get things started. As Program Manager Dan Hill asserts, “A Leader has the courage to see potential”.