Facility Footprint Increased to 1.6 Million
Square Feet, Target Capacity 230,000+ kg per Annum
Next Generation Technology Systems to Result
in Further Reduced Production Costs
TSX | NYSE: ACB
EDMONTON, April 10, 2019
/CNW/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. (the "Company" or "Aurora") (NYSE:
ACB) (TSX: ACB) (Frankfurt: 21P;
WKN: A1C4WM) today announced an update on the status of Aurora Sun,
the Company's latest and largest Sky Class facility, which is
currently under construction in Medicine
Hat, Alberta. To support rapidly growing global demand for
high-quality medical cannabis in Canada and abroad, the facility will be
expanded to 1.62 million square feet, representing a 33% increase
from its originally planned 1.2 million square feet. With the Sky
Class production philosophy proven at Aurora Sky, the Company is
confident in projecting an expected production capacity at Aurora
Sun in excess of 230,000 kg of high-quality cannabis per annum.
Aurora's Sky Class facilities are the most technologically
advanced in the world. They are not greenhouses, but purpose-built,
indoor cannabis grow facilities that create the most optimal
growing conditions for cannabis. A sophisticated glass roof,
rainwater and snow melt recapture system, and a high-level of
technology and automation give Aurora full control over all
anticipated environmental and harvest conditions, resulting in the
production of consistently high yielding, high-quality cannabis at
low-cost.
"Aurora Sun represents the next evolution in our Sky Class
facility design, delivering massive scale, low cost production, and
consistent, high-quality cannabis," said Terry Booth, CEO of Aurora. "Particularly in
newly-opened markets, establishing first-mover position and
embedding Aurora's market share and brand requires a stable and
reliable supply of high-quality cannabis for these markets. The
increased scale of Aurora Sun reflects our expectations for the
long-term growth in global demand, especially the higher margin
international medical markets which will be faced with significant
supply shortages for the foreseeable future. Sun is also designed
with flexibility in mind to enable us to quickly meet changing
market demands, particularly as breeding and cultivation
technologies evolve and as customer preferences and requirements
change."
Aurora Sun Facility Highlights:
- 37 growing rooms, each at 32,500 square feet
- At full operation, there will be more than 1,000,000 plants in
various stages of growth in the facility at any given time
- Increased automation through next generation robotic shuttles
to mobilize benches, increasing operational speed and facility
efficiency, while allowing for multiple product streams
simultaneously
- Expanded and upgraded facility automation systems for cloning
and production, further lowering anticipated production costs
- Next generation, low maintenance climate management system for
superior plant health, yield and cannabinoid potency
- Upgraded weather readiness design to drive even greater
operating efficiencies
- Additional energy efficiency/energy management via improved
implementation of thermal screens
- Improved GMP/GACP segregation between grow, harvest, and
post-production to facilitate faster and most efficient work
flow
- Higher throughput post-harvesting systems, including drying
systems, to reduce product time to market
Ground work at the facility is nearing completion, erection of
the steel structure is advancing and installation of the glass at
Sun is expected to be completed in May
2019. Like Aurora Sky, Health Canada licensing requests have
determined that rooms will be available for planting before the
entire facility is completed.
Evolved Design
Aurora Sun will be even more technologically advanced than
Aurora Sky in a number of ways, including process and technological
upgrades that are aimed to increase economic efficiencies and
customer-driven flexibility to meet future evolutions in market
requirements. While Aurora Sky integrates certain post harvest
processing systems, Aurora Sun will be focused solely on the mass
scale, hyper-efficient production of high-quality cannabis. Most
post-harvest processing will be handled at other facilities, such
as Aurora Polaris, the Company's logistics and derivatives
production hub at the Edmonton
International Airport (see announcement February 12, 2019).
About Aurora
Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada with funded capacity in excess of 625,000 kg per
annum and sales and operations in 24 countries across five
continents, Aurora is one of the world's largest and leading
cannabis companies. Aurora is vertically integrated and
horizontally diversified across every key segment of the value
chain, from facility engineering and design to cannabis breeding
and genetics research, cannabis and hemp production, derivatives,
high value-add product development, home cultivation, wholesale and
retail distribution.
Highly differentiated from its peers, Aurora has established a
uniquely advanced, consistent and efficient production strategy,
based on purpose-built facilities that integrate leading-edge
technologies across all processes, defined by extensive automation
and customization, resulting in the massive scale production of
high quality product at low cost. Intended to be replicable and
scalable globally, our production facilities are designed to
produce cannabis of significant scale, with high quality,
industry-leading yields, and low per gram production costs. Each of
Aurora's facilities is built to meet EU GMP standards, and its
first production facility, the recently acquired MedReleaf Markham
facility, and its wholly owned European medical cannabis
distributor Aurora Deutschland have achieved this level of
certification.
In addition to the Company's rapid organic growth and strong
execution on strategic M&A, which to date includes 15 wholly
owned subsidiary companies – MedReleaf, CanvasRX, Peloton
Pharmaceutical, Aurora Deutschland, H2 Biopharma, Urban Cultivator,
BC Northern Lights, Larssen Greenhouses, CanniMed Therapeutics,
Anandia Labs, HotHouse Consulting, MED Colombia, Agropro, Borela,
and ICC Labs – Aurora is distinguished by its reputation as a
partner and employer of choice in the global cannabis sector,
having invested in and established strategic partnerships with a
range of leading innovators, including: Radient Technologies Inc.
(TSXV: RTI), Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. (TSXV: HEMP), Cann Group
Ltd. (ASX: CAN), Micron Waste Technologies Inc. (CSE: MWM), Choom
Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO), Capcium Inc. (private), Evio Beauty
Group (private), Wagner Dimas (private), CTT Pharmaceuticals (OTCC:
CTTH), Alcanna Inc. (TSX: CLIQ) and High Tide Inc. (CSE:HITI).
Aurora's Common Shares trade on the TSX and NYSE under the
symbol "ACB", and are a constituent of the S&P/TSX Composite
Index.
For more information about Aurora, please visit our investor
website, investor.auroramj.com
Neither the TSX, NYSE nor their Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX and NYSE)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Terry Booth,
CEO
Aurora Cannabis Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes statements containing certain
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking
statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan",
"continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate",
"estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other
similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions
"may" or "will" occur. Forward looking statements made in this
release include: (i) statements regarding the completion of
the facility, (ii) facility characteristics including its size, and
cultivation capacity; (ii) statements regarding the rapid growth of
international markets, Aurora's intention to supply those markets,
and Aurora's intention to use products grown at Aurora Sun to
supply those markets and the Canadian marketplace; and (iii)
information regarding key metrics including predicted production
costs. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions
were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections
contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news
release. Certain of the assumptions relied upon include: (i) that
the facility as permitted and constructed will meet the design
characteristics described in this news release, (ii) that
international markets for cannabis will continue to grow, and
Aurora will be able to obtain necessary licenses and permits not
only for the Aurora Sun facility, but to be able to sell its
products in such international markets; and (iii) that the facility
will perform in line with Aurora's past practices and expected
design parameters.Forward-looking statements are based on the
opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are
made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any
intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events
or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
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SOURCE Aurora Cannabis Inc.