THUNDER BAY, ON (News release) -- FPInnovations and Resolute Forest Products Inc. 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.
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.
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.
Quotes
"Congratulations to FPInnovations and Resolute Forest Products on the official opening of the TMP-Bio plant. Ensuring our forestry sector remains strong and viable is important to our local economy and I'm pleased our government's investment of $7 .8 million has helped to bring this project to fruition. Northwestern Ontario is a hub for forestry innovation, and I look forward to seeing the results of this partnership and the positive impacts it will have on our growing bio-economy." Don Rusnak , Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay - Rainy River on behalf of The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources Canada
"Our government is making Northern Ontario open for business and open for jobs. We are committed to working with the forestry industry to help the sector innovate, create new opportunities and good-paying jobs in communities across the province. This is an industry that contributes $15 billion to Ontario's economy. That is why we are supporting projects like the TMP-Bio pilot plant and working towards a new forestry strategy to open up the industry to jobs." Honorable John Yakabuski , Ontario Minister of Natural Resources
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