Partnership Looks to Evolve the Forest Products Industry
June 4, 2007 - Edmonton
The Alberta Research Council (ARC) and FPInnovations have partnered to build world-class research and development capabilities for the forest products sector. With industry guiding the research program, the partnership will focus on commercializing new technologies that will help the sector compete in an increasingly global industry.
“This partnership comes at a key time for the forest products sector,” says Ian de la Roche, President and CEO of FPInnovations. “New ways of thinking and new technologies are key to the future success of this industry.”
The research will focus on four areas: strand-based products such as oriented strand board (OSB), pulping technologies, the production of energy, chemicals and other bioproducts, and important issues such as the mountain pine beetle infestation.
“ARC and FPInnovations complement each other very well,” says John McDougall, President and CEO of the Alberta Research Council. “By working together we can tap into each other’s areas of expertise. This will boost our ability to develop technologies that position the forest products sector as a key area of growth for Alberta and Canada.”
This partnership represents an evolution of a longstanding relationship between ARC and Forintek, which was one of the research organizations that merged to create FPInnovations on April 1, 2007. The two organizations have demonstrated their ability to work together; an impact study done in 2004 estimated OSB research, which ARC and FPInnovations both contributed a great deal to, resulted in cost reductions of $192 million since 1997.
The Honourable Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, believes that greater collaboration among forestry experts will help Alberta take advantage of new business opportunities in the global bioeconomy and added, “The sustainability of our forestry-based communities will also be enhanced from the experts’ innovations.”
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The Alberta Research Council Inc. (ARC) delivers innovative science and technology solutions that meet the priorities of industry and government in Alberta and beyond. Established in 1921, ARC is wholly-owned by the Government of Alberta and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. ARC operates five facilities throughout Alberta, serving the energy; life sciences, including agriculture, environment, forestry, and health and wellness; and manufacturing sectors. Visit us at www.arc.ab.ca.
FPInnovations was formed on April 1, 2007 -- this merger of Forintek, Feric, Paprican and the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre has created the largest, private, not-for-profit forest sector research institute in the world. The vision is to be the world leader in creating forest sector solutions to enhance the sector's global competitiveness. Transformative research projects will be pursued in concert with the shorter-term research, development and technology transfer programs already established. Visit the website at: http://www.fpinnovations.ca/.
For more information please contact:
Jodi Tauber
Communications Advisor, Alberta Research Council
(780) 450-5062
John McDougall
President & CEO, Alberta Research Council
(780) 450-5200
Ian de la Roche
President & CEO, FPInnovations
(604) 222-5703
idlr@van.forintek.ca