Europe–Canada mission strengthens ties in advanced manufacturing
2 October 2025
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Twelve companies from Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia crossed the Atlantic this week to explore one of North America’s most dynamic advanced manufacturing hubs. From 28 September to 1 October 2025, Advantage Austria and EIT Manufacturing led a packed programme of visits and networking sessions designed to spark collaboration in automation, robotics, AI and additive manufacturing.
A packed programme across Toronto, Waterloo and Hamilton
Over four days, the European delegation experienced the breadth of Ontario’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
The mission began with a visit to the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) in Toronto, one of Canada’s largest industrial trade fairs. CMTS runs over 4 days and features over 750+ leading suppliers and OEMs, offering a mix of live demonstrations, interactive exhibits, keynote talks, workshops and networking sessions. Here, delegates gained a first-hand look at additive manufacturing, 3D printing, digital twins, IIoT and Industry 4.0 technologies and engaged in discussions with Canadian peers. Later in the day, participants had a fruitful exchange with representatives of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), Canada’s advanced manufacturing supercluster.
The programme continued with company visits to Linamar, one of Canada’s largest manufacturers, and Clearpath Robotics, by Rockwell Automation, a leader in autonomous vehicle and robotics solutions for research and industrial applications. Clearpath Robotics specialises in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and robotics platforms, designed for factories and warehouses to move materials safely and efficiently.
A tour at Clearpath Robotics.
The second day concluded with an in-depth exploration of the University of Waterloo’s Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Lab (MSAM) and the Waterloo RoboHub. The MSAM lab boasts over 25 additive manufacturing machines that encompass six out of the seven regonised classes of additive manufacturing.
Learning about robotics research at the Waterloo RoboHub.
For young companies, the exposure was invaluable.
The most useful aspects for me were twofold. First, visiting the companies and research facilities, some of which are very interesting potential partners for the future. Second, the chance to meet and exchange with fellow participants: it’s always valuable to build new connections and learn from colleagues.
I already have some meetings lined up as a result of the programme. My compliments to both Advantage Austria and EIT Manufacturing for putting together such a thoughtful and well-structured tour, and for bringing together such a strong group of companies.
Dr. Wolfgang Fiel, CEO of Fiber Elements.
The group spent the last day of the mission in Hamilton, where they toured the McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute and CanmetMATERIALS, gaining insights into research on lightweight materials, smart production and industrial optimisation. As Canada’s largest research centre dedicated to fabricating, processing, and evaluating metals and materials, CanmetMATERIALS works to improve all aspects of producing and using value-added products derived from metals and minerals. The mission culminated with a quick stop at Albion Falls, one of Hamilton’s most famous waterfalls, where participants could appreciate the nature and reflect on the experiences of the past few days.
The delegation at CanmetMATERIALS.
We visited several different facilities across Canada. It was very insightful to see the types of projects they’re working on, where the industry is headed, what’s being offered in the AI space, and also the funding opportunities available from the government. We already made several valuable connections. A few partners will be visiting our facility to explore our needs, and we’ll continue the conversations to see if we can develop something that leads to meaningful innovations in the future.
Chris Alfred, Senior Project Engineer, Magna International
A strategic partnership for the future
The mission demonstrated the strength of combining Europe’s deep industrial know-how with Canada’s dynamic innovation ecosystem. Over the course of the programme, participants engaged in dozens of B2B meetings, identified opportunities for joint projects and gained valuable insights into the Canadian market.
As part of our strategy, we are now expanding into the Canadian robotics market. We already have our first distributor here, and we wanted to use this opportunity to support them. For me, the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show was particularly interesting because I had the chance to meet many relevant companies. The pre-scheduled visits, such as Linamar, were also very valuable: in fact, we’ve already scheduled next steps together, and I’m really looking forward to this collaboration.
I’ve decided to stay for an extra week because I knew there would be concrete outcomes, and I believe it’s best to follow up quickly, ideally in person.
David Polák, Co-founder, RoboTwin
EIT Manufacturing and Advantage Austria see this mission as a milestone in building transatlantic collaboration in advanced manufacturing.
By bringing together companies, research institutions and industrial partners from both sides of the Atlantic, the mission laid the foundation for future projects that will strengthen competitiveness, accelerate innovation and contribute to more sustainable production globally.
Looking ahead
With momentum from this successful mission, EIT Manufacturing will continue to foster connections that enable European startups, scaleups and corporates to access new markets and partnerships worldwide.
This mission was part of EIT Manufacturing’s broader effort to support European industry in exploring high-potential markets and building impactful international partnerships.
If you would like to explore collaboration opportunities, please feel free to reach out to us. We are happy to assist you.
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Photo credit: EIT Manufacturing East GmbH
