PaperAge Magazine

FPInnovations and Resolute Inaugurate Thermomechanical Pulp Bio-Refinery in Thunder Bay

FPInnovations TMP-Bio plant

May 27, 2019 - FPInnovations and Resolute Forest Products Inc. today announced the commissioning of a new TMP-Bio plant in Thunder Bay (Ontario). With the capacity to treat 100 metric tons of biomass annually, the bio-refinery pilot plant produces lignin and sugars for use in the development of innovative bio-products, such as wood adhesives, animal feed and composites. The organizations joined forces in early 2018 to build the plant at Resolute's Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill, focusing on developing new ways to efficiently manufacture and market innovative wood-based biochemical products.

The inauguration was attended by Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament, Thunder Bay – Rainy River; Ross Romano, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines of Ontario; Bill Mauro, Mayor of Thunder Bay; Remi Lalonde, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Resolute Forest Products; Stéphane Renou, President and Chief Executive Officer of FPInnovations; Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC); and many representatives of the Canadian forest products industry.

"FPInnovations is proud to be part of a project that will allow the Canadian forest industry to diversify its revenue streams while demonstrating its ability to innovate and transform itself,” said Stephane Renou, President and CEO of FPInnovations. “This project paves the way for a stronger bio-economy that will lead, in collaboration with our partners, to clean solutions and technologies that will benefit future generations. FPInnovations would also like to thank Natural Resources Canada for the additional funding announced today as part of their Clean Growth Program.”

The C$23 million project is part of an initiative to renew and transform the forest products industry, building on investments by Resolute, the Ontario Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE), and Natural Resources Canada. The project also has the support of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, FedNor, the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, in addition to contributions in research and applications from the Québec Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks and the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub.

Yves Laflamme, President and CEO of Resolute Forest Products, commented, “Innovation is an integral part of Resolute's transformation strategy and long-term competitiveness. By hosting the bio-refinery at our Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill, we are helping to develop sustainable bioproducts and to generate new employment opportunities in the forest products industry.”

TMP-Bio is a patented technology developed by FPInnovations for the commercial production of large quantities of bio-sourced chemicals, such as high-quality cellulosic sugars and H-lignin, and is a step towards opening up new markets for the forest products sector within the biochemical products supply chain.

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products, newsprint and specialty papers, which are marketed in close to 70 countries. The company owns or operates some 40 facilities, as well as power generation assets, in the United States and Canada. To learn more, please visit: www.resolutefp.com

FPInnovations is a not-for-profit that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. To learn more, please visit: fpinnovations.ca.

SOURCE: FPInnovations