The University of Waterloo's Institute for Polymer Research (IPR) has earned an international reputation for making research initiatives pay off for a wide variety of companies. These technological initiatives have been instrumental in the development of better polymers for wire and cable applications, polymer modifications to make heat- and oil-resistant rubber, new polymer alloys and blends, systems for recycling polyolefin containers, the computer design of extrusion screws and dies and computer modelling and control of polymerization processes.

Medtrode and the Institute of Polymer Research have recently entered
into joint development for a transcranial casing.