Schneider Electric is opening a new $4 million lab for research and development and testing for digital building applications.
The facility is located in Montreal within the Mile X area of the Marconi district, which is known for housing local tech and AI businesses, as well as architecture and design studios. The 4,500 square ft. facility will create up to 40 new positions in Montreal by the end of 2024. The company noted the lab features state-of-the-art equipment, 3D technology, and simulators that can “revolutionize” the designing, testing, and development of digital building applications.
The new lab also houses a 3D laser scanner to reverse engineer and offer drawing compliance, plus an electro-mechanical lab for actuator performance, motor, environmental, and system testing, a wet lab for valve performance testing, and valve-actuator wet accelerated life testing and a fast prototype lab with 3D printing for assembly fit testing and creating prototypes on demand.
“With Montreal’s vibrancy, innovation, digital talent, and world-class educational institutions, this lab is the perfect location to further advance our testing, research, and development capabilities at a global scale,” Andre Marino, senior vice president, digital buildings, for Schneider Electric, said in a statement. “It is here at this new facility, where Schneider Electric will elevate the design and testing of our Intelligent Edge solutions to ensure the reliability and performance of digital infrastructures -- transforming buildings all over the world into smart, modern, net-zero landmarks.”
Schneider Electric is among four companies, including Danfoss, Google, and Microsoft, launching the Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers. The hub, located in Frederica, Denmark, will bring together stakeholders in the European data center industry, such as regulators, researchers, utility providers, and non-governmental organizations.
The announcement of the lab also comes after Schneider Electric reported its third-quarter earnings and revealed a flat three-month period, the Wall Street Journal reported. While it backed its 2023 targets, the company also warned of weaker demand for discrete automation in China and Western Europe at the end of the year weighing in its earnings.
