BC Business
BCBusiness Innovators 2012, Canada Metal (Pacific) Ltd. | BCBusinessBack: 2012 BCBusiness Guide to Innovation
Congratulations to Canada Metal (Pacific) Ltd., #18 in 2012's Most Innovative Companies in B.C. Some of the world’s most important innovations come in the most unexpected places. Consider, for example, the sacrificial anode, a tiny piece of metal meant to prevent underwater corrosion.
Some of the world’s most important innovations come in the most unexpected places. Consider, for example, the sacrificial anode, a tiny piece of metal meant to prevent underwater corrosion.
Every boat, watercraft and dock (pretty much anything constantly immersed in water) needs anodes to protect integral metal parts from corrosion. Traditional sacrificial anodes, made of zinc, corrode over time and release minute amounts of cadmium into the surrounding water. Cadmium is carcinogenic, and with millions of boats docked in marinas around the world those minute amounts quickly compound.
So Canada Metal set its sights on creating its environmentally friendly Martyr II Aluminum anode, which corrodes without releasing toxic chemicals. “It’s a solution for boaters worldwide, if we can educate them to use aluminum instead of zinc,” says Jason Mitchell, Canada Metal’s international and Canadian account manager.
As panellist Tony Wanless comments, “It’s something that none of us think about, but they have a large impact.”
Mitchell emphasizes that Canada Metal didn’t invent the aluminum alloy anode, but points out that it’s the first company to successfully commercialize and mass produce a high-quality version of the anode.
Setting a new industry standard is difficult, but Mitchell says Canada Metal is spending all its time, resources and energy promoting its less expensive, greener product because “it’s the way of the future.”