CISION NEWS WIRE — FPInnovations has announced that its cellulose filament production technology will once again be brought to a commercial scale following Resolute Forest Products’ announcement of a $27.7 million investment in its Kénogami plant in Quebec. This confirms FPInnovations’ ability to provide tangible support to companies that innovate with wood, which ultimately allows the forest sector to diversify its traditional and non-traditional products and markets.
FPInnovations will partner with Resolute Forest Products to transfer knowledge of the technology, which was developed with contributions from industrial members, provincial governments and Canadian government funding from the Canadian Forest Service’s Transformative Technologies Program. This is the second time FPInnovations’ cellulose filament production technology has been commercialized.
Cellulose filaments, a biomaterial extracted from wood-pulp fibre, have unique properties that make them an outstanding reinforcing agent for use in a wide range of products and applications, including improving the properties of paper products. Cellulose filaments can be used as a reinforcing agent in materials used in industrial sectors such as transportation or as a rheological agent to modify the texture and behaviour of paint.
Stéphane Renou, president and chief
executive officer of FPInnovations.
“FPInnovations, in collaboration with its members, plays a crucial role in developing and implementing innovations that directly impact the competitiveness and diversification of the forest sector. We are delighted with the commitment of governments and Resolute to this project, which demonstrates a common desire to promote the full potential of the forest sector bioeconomy,” explains Stéphane Renou, president and chief executive officer of FPInnovations.“With the establishment of this plant, Resolute Forest Products is continuing to implement its diversification strategy and is solidifying its sustained interest in cellulose filament technology,” adds Yves Laflamme, president and chief executive officer of Resolute Forest Products.