SAGUENAY, QC, April 24,
2023 /PRNewswire/ - Resolute Forest Products Inc.
today held a ceremony to inaugurate its new commercial-scale plant
for the production of cellulose filaments at its Kénogami paper
mill in Saguenay, Quebec.
Cellulose filaments, also known as nanofibrillated cellulose,
are a novel biomaterial derived from wood fiber, which can be used
as a natural additive in many products to improve technical
performance. Announced in 2020, the construction of the
$27 million facility was part of a
$38 million investment project in the
company's Kénogami mill.
Remi G. Lalonde, Resolute's
president and chief executive officer, led the inauguration
ceremony, also attended by Andrée Laforest, Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs and
Minister Responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, as
well as by local officials, dignitaries and Resolute employees.
Cellulose filaments are a significant step into new markets
for Resolute. They are mechanically processed without chemicals or
enzymes and are manufactured entirely from renewable sources,
resulting in a low carbon footprint. Among other things, the
company has seen promising test results for use in concrete, where
the additive could improve performance in infrastructure projects,
and in packaging applications, where it can be used to make 100%
biosourced and fully recyclable translucent film, displacing
traditional plastic film.
Mr. Lalonde said: "I thank our partners for their expertise in
research and development as well as their financial support,
including the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests
through its Wood Innovation Program, Investissement Québec and
Natural Resources Canada. The cellulose filament plant is the
result of our common goal to innovate and explore potential avenues
to open new markets for Quebec
forest products, and to contribute to the sustainable development
of the communities in which we operate."
"The construction and start-up of the new plant that produces
cellulose filaments, a completely new product, at the Kénogami
paper mill opens up bright prospects for the future," said Minister
Andrée Laforest. "The $27 million
investment, including $2.5 million
from the Quebec government, has
created an additional vocation for the mill and the opportunity to
export this product internationally. The new biomaterial is a
breath of fresh air for the Kénogami mill and its employees.
Congratulations to the leadership, the workers and everyone who
made this achievement possible."
Quebec Minister of Natural
Resources and Forests Maïté Blanchette Vézina shared the following
message from Quebec City: "This
new production of cellulose filaments will significantly benefit
not only Resolute Forest Products, but also the region and the
forest products industry. Through its Wood Innovation Program, our
government is proud to back businesses that establish themselves
with such innovative projects, and to support communities where the
forest sector is a driving economic force. I commend Resolute's
entire team for contributing, through innovation, to the
diversification of Quebec's wood
products and for helping decarbonize our economy."
FPInnovations, an organization that specializes in the creation
of solutions that accelerate the growth of the Canadian forest
products sector, led the partnership that developed the extraction
technology to produce cellulose filaments. Performance BioFilaments
Inc., a joint venture established by Resolute and Mercer
International Inc., is working to commercialize traditional
applications for the product.
The new plant is expected to produce up to 21 metric tons of
cellulose filaments per day and to create about thirty new jobs, in
addition to the approximately 200 existing jobs at the Kénogami
paper mill.
About Resolute Forest Products
Resolute Forest Products is a leading producer of a diverse
range of wood, pulp, tissue and paper products, which are marketed
in 60 countries. The company operates some 40 facilities, as
well as power generation assets, in the
United States and Canada
and has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to
internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards.
Resolute has received regional, North American and global
recognition for its leadership in corporate social responsibility
and sustainable development, as well as for its business practices.
Headquartered in Montreal
(Quebec), the company is part of
the Paper Excellence Group. To learn more, visit
www.resolutefp.com.
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SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc.