Grant: Engage Grants Program

Canfor Pulp LP (CPLP) is the third-largest producer of Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) pulp globally and is the largest single point producer of green power in North America. CPLP operates three facilities in Prince George BC. CPLP's NBSK is recognized as technically superior through a unique combination of fibre characteristics and performance. Consequently, CPLP employs a ""technical fit"" methodology to ensure the highest value end-use potential for its NBSK pulp. CPLP is also unique in North America in maintaining an R&D team (Canfor Pulp Innovation - CPI). The mountain pine beetle epidemic in central BC has created significant production and product quality challenges. CPLP has identified innovative solutions to overcome these challenges while taking advantage of new market opportunities. Through the Federal Economic Action Plan, NRCan, the province of BC and CPLP are making a significant investment in state-of-the-art analytical technologies to measure wood chip quality, pulp fibre quality, and end product quality. The technologies to be implemented include the FPInnovations wood chip sensor, the Eurocon PulpEye fibre quality analyzer, and the Metso Quality Vision System. This project will create a chip, pulp and fibre quality measurement platform that is globally unique enabling CPLP to realize the following objectives, (i) to optimize production (energy, chemicals and yield) and pulp cleanliness, and (ii) to develop prediction models for pulp quality using statistical modeling and multivariate data analysis. The proposed project will offer a significant opportunity for Canfor Pulp LP to utilize the resources of the University of Northern British Columbia and to showcase transformative technologies that will revitalize CPLP's leadership position in the global NBSK pulp market and in time revolutionize delivery of data regarding pulp properties to the benefit of pulp customers.