A small Canadian start up is making big waves in airport ground technology

From its start as a wartime aviation technology training facility to its role today as one of Canada’s busiest domestic air-cargo distribution centres, the John C. Munro Airport in Hamilton, Ont., has a long record of being the test ground for Canada’s up-and-coming technologies.

And the legacy continues today with the use of a new all-electric Toyota luggage tugger, powered by a rare earth metal-free propulsion system designed and manufactured by Canadian company, Enedym.

“Our motors are called SRM (switched reluctance motors) and they have no permanent magnets whatsoever. These are the simplest and lowest-cost electromagnetic-electromechanical configuration of electric motors you could have,” says Ali Emadi, the founder, president and CEO of Enedym.

“SRMs have been around for a while, but they have had problems with acoustic noise, vibration, and torque density. They were not able to compete with permanent magnet motors. Enedym has solved those problems.”

Enedym’s motors focus on smooth, reliable and efficient operation. They run using Enedym software to maximize uptime and performance.

From research to adoption

Since May 2018, Emadi and his team have been building up the IP and impact of Enedym, which spun out of Emadi’s research at McMaster University dating back to 2011. The company now has 30 employees, uses 14,000 square feet of rapid prototyping and manufacturing space and millions of dollars in investments.

In June 2024 Enedym welcomed a visit from Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, François-Phillipe Champagne at their labs at the McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton.

The visit occurred while Enedym was running its airport pilot project, sending a strong signal to the industry that the company’s technology is at the sharp end of the national innovation movement.

“Motors are the beating heart of movement. Enedym’s tagline is ‘changing how the world moves, together.’ That’s what we aspire to do,” says Emadi. Enedym aims to make movement quieter, cleaner, more efficient and less dependent on resources like rare earth metals, resulting in a cleaner and more stable supply chain.

“The next step for us is volume production of this particular motor inverter application [in use at the airport]. We are gearing up to do hundreds of units within the next six to nine months — and then we go for the 1000s.”

The Hamilton Airport pilot

One of the most momentous steps in research and development is the moment when a new technology crosses the threshold of the lab door and goes into use in the real world.

For Enedym, the Hamilton Airport pilot project, which started in May, is an invaluable learning opportunity and a catalyst for rapid future growth.

“It has been a boost to our team to see our product so well-received outside of the lab environment. All the data we’re gathering on the usage will help us in the future. Understanding the customer experience is critical and this really helps us close the loop on our designs,” says Jeremy Lempert, manager of electrified powertrains at Enedym.

“It’s been a great partnership with the Hamilton Airport and Executive Aviation firm. [The vehicle] became their go-to tow tractor and they have over 100 hours of running time on it already. They have been very happy with the performance and the operation of the vehicle.”

But even getting the bright orange luggage tug vehicle on to the airport grounds was not an easy feat. Luckily, Enedym was already partnered with business accelerator, the Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (CITM), which leveraged its industry connections to match the two entities.

“This is an excellent example of the role CITM plays for innovative next-generation mobility businesses in Canada – leveraging the ecosystem we’ve built to support innovation and then making strategic connections when they are needed,” says Richard Dunda, director of CITM.

“The IP and innovation we have in Canada is amazing and world-class. CITM is here to act as a facilitator and a launch pad for these nimble, disruptive players to connect with established industry businesses. These alliances are not only strategic and informative, but often spark significant leaps forward for both parties.”

SRMs in other applications

The opportunity to put technology in the hands of a customer has led to new use-case data, technology adaptations and troubleshooting approaches for Enedym. It also is helping to inform a roadmap for the future of the company highlighting specific areas for potential product expansion.

“There are about 15 million electric motors manufactured a day, worldwide. Wherever you look and you see something moving with electric power, you have an electric motor or actuator,” says Emadi.

“We are looking at other potential ground support equipment. At the same time, we are actively working on our automotive products for passenger electric cars and those are also extremely exciting.”

Want to see more innovation in action? Visit CITM.ca and learn how their team connects innovative start-ups with industry leaders to drive the next generation of smart, connected and electrified transportation solutions.