VANCOUVER, — The development of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine for heavy-duty trucks is not only beneficial to the environment, but to the companies participating as well.

B.C.-based Westport Innovations and its industrial partner, Cummins, have received the 2007 Canadian American Business Achievement Award from the Canadian American Business Council (CABC).

Each year the Canadian American Business Council reaches out to the business community, policymakers and government leaders on both sides of the border seeking information about innovative and successful alliances between Canadian and American companies.

“We are extraordinarily proud to accept this award with our partner Cummins. Our joint enterprise is inspired by the spirit of cross-border cooperation between Canada and the United States,” noted Michael Gallagher, president and COO of Westport. “This week’s new energy outlook from the International Energy Agency gives new impetus to our work together to help solve global energy, environmental, and climate change problems.”

Westport Innovations is a global supplier of proprietary solutions that allow engines to operate on clean-burning fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen, and biofuels such as landfill gas. Westport’s LNG system for heavy-duty trucks offers a unique industry solution with class-leading emissions and low greenhouse gases, while maintaining all the horsepower, torque, and efficiency of a diesel-fuelled engine required for Class 8 heavy-duty truck applications.

Cummins Westport, the joint venture between Westport and Cummins, manufactures and sells a broad range of low-emissions alternative fuel engines for commercial transportation applications.

The Canadian American Business Achievement Award is annually given to two companies – one Canadian and one American – whose joint enterprise demonstrates the magnitude of the business and trade relationship between our two countries.

The awards were presented in Toronto on Nov. 8 as part of the 2007 Cross Border Business Policy Forum.