Strategic alliance to commercialize grain analysis technology

Mississauga, ON June 10, 2003 Diversified science company DuPont Canada has unveiled a the strategic development alliance for DuPont Acurum, its new business venture based on automated grain analysis technology that the company says offers sophisticated, objective and rapid analysis of grain.

The system is designed to reduce the subjectivity inherent in the grain quality assessment process. Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Lethbridge Research Center in Alberta have developed this knowledge-intensive technology, and DuPont has licensed the technology for worldwide commercialization.

Over the past year, DuPont has been working on the instrument development and plans to market the Acurum system on a global scale. To further develop the instrument, it has recruited three other companies: Linnet, Cimtek Automation Systems and NeuralWare.

A provider of enterprise land management systems for agriculture, focussing on supply chain, traceability and food safety, Winnipeg-based Linnet is developing the software that will connect all of the instruments to a global network. Burlington-based Cimtek a supplier of high value-added test engineering solutions, has been selected as the manufacturer and system integrator for the instrument. Pittsburg-based NeuralWare is supplying the neural network-based artificial intelligence engine for the system.

"Our commercialization of DuPont Acurum demonstrates our commitment to technological innovation in the Canadian and global agricultural marketplace," says Ron Zelonka, DuPont Canada’s vice-president – technology and innovation. "The Acurum system provides valuable information that key suppliers in the grain producing value chain will use to make better business decisions in the grain quality assessment process. Acurum applies our scientific expertise and cutting-edge technology to provide integrated science solutions.”