HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA | CANADA B3H 4R2 | +1 (902) 494-2211

Dalhousie and Michelin Announce Joint Research Projects


Wednesday, August 23, 2006 : Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dalhousie University and Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. announced today an agreement to conduct three joint research projects intended to assist Michelin?s Nova Scotia manufacturing plants on a range of scientific and technical issues.

?Dalhousie and Michelin have a long history of collaboration and working together and we are very pleased to strengthen that relationship with this new agreement,” said Dr. Josh Leon, Dean of Engineering at Dalhousie. ?Michelin regularly recruits a number of engineers and other skilled employees from Dalhousie. This is just one more example of how Dalhousie works with the local business community and contributes to the economy of our region.”

Michelin is continuously focused on improving safety at its facilities and managing its energy resources. In September, Dalhousie researchers will begin work on three joint research projects to aid Michelin in its focus on continuous improvement. The joint research projects will concentrate on advancements in these areas, including:

? Fire prevention ? a project intended to build a body of knowledge on fire prevention and build on existing fire prevention activities. 
? Bio-diesel fuel ? a project intended to investigate the possible use of bio-diesel fuel to power steam generation boilers.
? Energy management ? a project intended to investigate current best practices and approaches to energy management to accelerate improvement of energy management at the facilities.

?Michelin is very pleased to embark on this exciting new partnership with Dalhousie through the Dalhousie Industry Liaison and Innovation office,” said Doug Cassidy, manager of Michelin?s Pictou County facility. ?Partnerships that foster innovation using new methods and technologies contribute to long-term economic growth and sustainability. We see a lot of potential for this and future collaborations with Dalhousie University, particularly with the faculty of Engineering with whom we have had a very long and productive relationship.”

About Michelin: The world?s largest tire maker, Michelin (www.michelin.com) designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Laval, Quebec, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. (www.michelin.ca) employs approximately 3,700 employees and operates three plants.

About Dalhousie University - www.dal.ca: Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 1818, Dalhousie attracts students from around the world.  Dalhousie is a comprehensive, research-intensive university with more than 15,500 students. In The Scientist magazine, it was recently named one of the best non-commercial places to work as a scientific researcher outside the United States.

The Industry Liaison and Innovation office - www.dalinnovation.com: commercializes research at Dalhousie University, manages and facilitates collaborations between companies and university researchers and assists in the creation of spin-off ventures.

Media inquiries, contact:
Dr. Ronald Layden, Executive Director, Office of Industry Liaison and Innovation, Dalhousie University: 902. 494-3237, relayden@dal.ca
Sheri Somerville, Manager, Corporate Communications, Michelin North America (Canada) Inc., (902) 753 1714, sheri.somerville@ca.michelin.com