European auto innovation award competition now open to Canadian parts suppliers

Canadian automotive part suppliers looking for new ways into European markets now have the opportunity to gain attention by participating in a prestigious innovation competition.

The Network of Automotive Excellence (NoAE) has, for the first time, extended its innovation award to a non-European country: Canada. The NoAE Award, launched in cooperation with the European automotive industry, is in its fourth year and is held under the auspices of the German Federal Minister of Economics.

The Canadian Federal Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is leading Canadian participation in the NoAE.  “For suppliers who wish to be recognized and grow in Europe, this is an outstanding opportunity,” said Steve Rodgers, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), which is a partner in the program initiative. Other partners include CATAAlliance (Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance) and the Networked Vehicle Association.

“New ideas which have applications for the automobile are welcome in this year’s competition,” NoAE said in a press release. Further, NoAE has identified four thematic areas of importance for the automobile industry: “The automobile, a special living environment”; “Communications and the car (information technology)”; “Eco Innovation, new approaches to CO2 reduction”; and “Efficient and flexible production”.

The competition is open until September 30, 2010. Proposals can be submitted through the NoAE portal, at this link.

Award winners will be invited to present their innovations at the Wurzburg Automotive Summit held in Germany in November 2010. In addition, they receive active support from NoAE members in commercializing their winning technologies for the duration of one year.