Nypro To Supply Robotics Competition

Plastic supplied by Clinton-based manufacturer Nypro will be a major part of an international robotics competition in April.

Nypro has become a "bronze" supplier to the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition. Bronze level suppliers contribute up to $10,000 in materials or services to the competition.

Nypro plastic will be used to make wheels for the robot kits distributed to the nearly 1,700 international high school teams participating in the 2009 competition. Each kit contains 604 parts, 39 percent of which are donated.

Nypro has sponsored the Clinton High School/Nypro FIRST Robotics Team since the competition began in 1992. Teams receive an engineering challenge from FIRST, and the kit of parts but no instructions.

The FIRST championship will be held in Atlanta in April and will award more than $9 million in scholarships. FIRST is a nonprofit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen.