For more than 20 years, Advanced Test and Automation (ATA) has helped companies take the uncertainty out of launching complex mechanical, fluid and thermal systems. InvestMilton recently sat down with founder and CEO Anthony Khoraych to learn more about ATA’s growth, his entrepreneurial journey in Milton and what comes next.
Can you describe ATA and what you do in a way that someone outside your industry would understand?
ATA helps companies prove that important mechanical, fluid and thermal systems will work before they are launched or put into production.
Our customers may be developing a pump, cooling system, battery, advanced fluid, electric-vehicle component or automated production test. We create the test equipment, software and engineering methods needed to reproduce real operating conditions, measure what is happening and produce evidence people can trust.
In simple terms, we help turn “we think it should work” into “we have proven that it works.”
What led you to start ATA, what has your journey been like and why build the company in Milton?
I started ATA because I saw a gap between traditional engineering analysis and what actually happens when hardware, fluids, controls and real-world operating conditions come together.
I have always enjoyed difficult, hands-on technical problems, and ATA grew by helping customers solve challenges that did not fit neatly into a standard test. Our journey has included custom engineering, automated test systems and increasingly specialized fluid and thermal validation.
Milton has been a practical home base because it gives us access to customers, suppliers and technical talent across the GTA and southern Ontario, while still providing the space and community needed to build a hands-on engineering company.
What makes ATA unique and how has the company evolved over time?
ATA combines capabilities that are often separated: mechanical engineering, fluid and thermal expertise, instrumentation, automation software and physical testing. We can understand the problem, build the system, automate the test and interpret the results.
Our ISO 17025-capable laboratory processes support disciplined and traceable work. Our proprietary FloINT software automates test sequences, data collection, safety logic and reporting.
Over time, we have evolved from primarily building one-off test machines into a company focused on reusable validation methods, software and modular test platforms.
As you look ahead, what’s next for the company? What trends are shaping your direction, and how are you innovating to stay ahead?
The systems around us are becoming more electrified, automated and thermally demanding. Batteries, data centres, electric drives, autonomous equipment and advanced fluids all need better ways to prove performance and safety under realistic conditions.
ATA’s next chapter is to turn more of our engineering experience into repeatable products and services. We are developing modular thermal-fluid validation platforms, advanced diagnostic tools and software that makes complex testing easier to run, document and repeat.
Our goal is to continue building globally relevant Canadian technology from Milton, while creating skilled technical opportunities locally.
What’s the best piece of business advice that’s stuck with you along the way?
Solve a real problem, for a real customer, before falling in love with the technology.
The best ideas are not always the most complicated ones. They are the ones that remove uncertainty, save time or help someone make a better decision. That lesson continues to guide where ATA invests its energy.
Learn more about ATA at https://advancedta.com