Announced in 2020, the construction of the $27m cellulose filaments manufacturing plant was part of an overall $38m investment project in the Kénogami mill
Resolute will mechanically process the cellulose filaments without using any chemicals or enzymes at the plant. (Credit: Resolute Forest Products)
Canadian pulp and paper company Resolute Forest Products has opened its new commercial-scale plant to produce cellulose filaments at its Kénogami paper mill in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada.
Announced in 2020, the construction of the $27m plant was part of an overall $38m investment project in the Kénogami mill.
Resolute will mechanically process the cellulose filaments without using any chemicals or enzymes at the plant. It has a low carbon footprint as it is made entirely from sustainable sources.
The pulp and paper firm has tested the filaments, also called nano-fibrillated cellulose, by using them in concrete, where the additive could enhance the performance in infrastructure projects.
Resolute has also tested cellulose filaments in packaging applications, where they can be used to produce a fully bio-sourced and recyclable translucent film to replace traditional plastic films.
The new facility is anticipated to manufacture around 21 metric tons of cellulose filaments per day and will generate about 30 new career options along with the 200 existing jobs at the Kénogami mill.
Resolute president and CEO Remi 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 partnership that created the extraction method to produce cellulose filaments was led by FPInnovations, a Canadian company that develops solutions to promote the expansion of the Canadian forest products sector.
Furthermore, the pulp and paper firm and Mercer International formed a joint company called Performance BioFilaments to promote the product’s conventional uses.
Part of the Paper Excellence Group, Resolute Forest Products is engaged in the production of a range of wood, pulp, tissue and paper products and sell them in 60 nations.
The company operates around 40 facilities and power generation assets in the US and Canada.