The Raymond Corporation’s University Research Program, which offers grants for research into proposals which offer innovation to the materials handling sector, is accepting applications until October 31.

Raymond, a Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA) brand, says it created the research program to “encourage and support professors and student researchers to apply their engineering and technical skills to foster innovative research that propels the material handling industry forward”.

The grants are open to North American universities with proposals evaluated on “innovation, feasibility and potential for future commercial application”.

The University Research Program is in its eighth cycle and is accepting applications for grant funding which can reach up to $500,000 with selected proposals eligible to receive total financial support of up to $250,000 for one year of research.

Brett Wood, president and CEO with TMHNA, says: “In an ever-changing material handling landscape, innovation is fuelled by curiosity, collaboration and the endless pursuit of knowledge”.

“By investing in research and collaborating with respected academic institutions, we are not only adapting to change but also shaping the future of our industry,” Wood adds.

Raymond says previous grant recipients have explored topics which include flexibility in logistics systems and automation, virtual reality (VR) and operator productivity, omnichannel facilities and vehicle routing and, robotics. 

Proposal themes for this cycle looking at adapting materials handling for next-gen operators, advanced battery and supporting technology, the circular economy, automation and optimisation, among others, are being strongly encouraged.