At a difficult time for Southwestern Ontario's economy, Abrigo Industrial Machines Inc. is investing in the future of their industry through Fanshawe College. On Thursday, January 29, 2009, Fanshawe College recognized Abrigo's generous contribution of a $75,000 FANUC robot to the School of Manufacturing Sciences.

Abrigo builds robotic machinery and automated systems for the food processing industry, secondary packaging and palletizing. They also produce specialty-automated machinery for other industrial sectors.

Angelo Abrigo, President of Abrigo Industrial Machines Inc., said the company is proud to be collaborating with the City of London and Fanshawe College on this donation. "Fanshawe's laboratories are technologically-advanced and are graduating students that will contribute to the future prosperity of our company."

Left to right: Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, representing the City of London, is shown at the presentation with Fanshawe President Howard Rundle; Giorgio Calorio, Abrigo's Technical-Commercial Service & Business Director; and Bektash Hoxha, General Manager of Abrigo Industrial Machines.

"This generous donation is a major contribution to our lab resources and will enable us to expand our project-based learning in the senior semesters of our controls, robotics, and project courses," said John Makaran, Chair of Fanshawe's School of Manufacturing Sciences. "It also allows us to partner with Abrigo in developing automation solutions in our course curriculum or through Applied Research projects."