THUNDER BAY — Resolute Forest Products' Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill has won an international award for an innovative pilot project.
It captured a Silver Award in the Edison Awards competition for its thermomechanical pulp biorefinery pilot.
Commissioned in 2019, the apparatus uses patented technology to break down wood into elemental chemicals such as basic sugar and lignin, which can then be put back into the supply chain in the form of commercial products such as wood adhesives, composites and animal feed.
It's a collaboration between Resolute and FPInnovations, a not-for-profit organization working to support the competitiveness of Canada's forest products sector.
The $23 million project was funded by Resolute and the federal and Ontario governments.
Named after inventor Thomas Edison, the Edison Awards recognize innovative products, services and business leaders around the world.
The Resolute project took the silver prize in the Manufacturing, Logistics & Transportation category.
The company says the TMP-Bio plant is a step towards opening up new markets for the forest products sector.
It has the capacity to treat 100 metric tons of biomass each year.
