Close
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Altitude Accelerator

Scaling Innovation to New Heights (Formerly RIC Centre)

Listen to our latest podcast episode with Amit Chauhan, CEO of JobAdX on Startups Transformed!

Altitude Accelerator
  • About
    • About Altitude Accelerator
    • Team
    • Success Stories
    • Community Partners
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Altitude Accelerator Incubator Program
  • Events
    • IoT Tech Showcase 2019
    • Angel First Look Investor Meeting
  • Resources
    • Software Development for Startups: An In-Depth Guide
    • Opportunities
    • Tech Jobs
  • Job Board
  • Register for support
  • Get In Touch

Follow RIC Centre

Search This Site

Français

  • About
    • Our Team
    • Our Advisors
    • Success Stories
    • Rebrand to Altitude Accelerator
    • Community Partners
    • Contact Us
  • Services
  • Programs
    • RevUp
    • Altitude Accelerator Incubator
    • Investor Readiness
    • Altitude Accelerator: Cleantech
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Startups Transformed Podcast
    • Blog
    • Startup Opportunities
    • Client Resources
    • Software Development Guide
JOIN US
You are here: Home / Featured Stories / Emcara Taking Steps Forward with a New Facility

Emcara Taking Steps Forward with a New Facility

July 2, 2014 RICCentre

By: Raj-Kabir Birk

As gas-based technology advances, the need for safety is becoming ever more prevalent. These preventative measures must be reliable, consistent, and adaptable to have a lasting impact. Emcara Gas Development Inc. is treading that path with success. Founded by Erick Girouard, Emcara designs and manufactures pressure release devices, or PRDs.

The Ontario-based company has developed a device that drastically improves the fire protection of compressed natural gas (CNG) and hydrogen tanks for vehicles and other applications. This PRD prevents an explosion of a tank in a fire by emptying the contents before the tank ruptures.

What differentiates Emcara’s PRDs from other preventative devices is their responsiveness. Other devices, such as building fire sprinklers, must be directly heated to activate.

Emcara’s technology has a long trigger and activates even with a small fire anywhere on the tank. It also provides savings of up to 40% of conventional safety methods.

A key step forward for Emcara in the past year has been an increase in employees. In January 2013, Emcara hired their first co-op student as a third employee. They have since begun hiring two to three engineering students per term. By the end of 2013, Emcara had hired a new Chief Financial Officer, Design Engineer and Quality Manger, and has recently hired a new Director of Customer and Market Development.

In addition to a growing foundation of employees, Emcara is continually strengthening their customer base. A major customer has signed a long-term deal with Emcara, and another major customer, who already form a large part of Emcara’s sales, are also expected to sign a long-term deal soon. There have also been initial sales to major OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). Sales have grown four times over the last two years, and Emcara are expected to at least match that this year. Another key part of Emcara’s success is continued innovation in their field. The company will release a 5000 psi CNG and hydrogen parts.

Tim Scott, one of Altitude Accelerator’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, worked closely with Emcara and provided a great deal of knowledge and expertise. Erick Girouard came from a technical background, and Tim’s help was crucial in helping Erick realize his business goals. The networking possibilities Altitude Accelerator provides were also utilized by Emcara to create new contacts.

Emcara has since expanded into a new facility, and their products have also penetrated the international market. “We continue to get a number of inquiries from companies all over the world, such as Australia, Japan, Korea and Thailand, with consistent sales coming from Germany and throughout the U.S. and Canada,” says Erick Girouard. However, progress does not stop there for Emcara. “Our goal for continued success is to develop as a company; to keep pace with the growing demand of our industry, in an effort to become a well-recognized and trusted name.  We plan to increase our resources by the end of the year; to ramp-up production capacity and expand our research and development branch.”

Footer

Altitude Accelerator is located at

6 George Street South,
Brampton, ON
L6Y 1P1

Stay Updated

Join our mailing list to get our monthly update on Canadian innovation and tech, as well as notifications about Altitude Accelerator workshops and seminars!

Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Monthly Digest
  • Français
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Trilliumlogo

Copyright © 2022 Altitude Accelerator