"We are excited about the potential of this new transformative technology," said FPAC President and CEO David Lindsay. "It will help reinforce Canada's global reputation as being in the forefront of forest sector innovation."
The research will be undertaken by FPInnovations, a world leader in creating scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness. FPInnovations is undertaking the CF research as part of a national program aimed at developing new ways to use wood fiber to produce bio-materials and environmentally friendly products to help diversify Canada's forest sector.
"Realizing the vast bio-potential of new products such as CF is part of the extraordinary transformation that is now underway in the Canadian forest products industry," Lindsay noted. "These innovative new products will also help our sector reach the ambitious goals as laid out in Vision2020."
Vision2020 foresees a $20 billion increase in economic activity from new products and markets, a 35% improvement in the sector's environmental performance, and a refreshed workforce with 60,000 new recruits by the end of the decade.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada's wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $57-billion-a-year forest products industry represents 2% of Canada's GDP and is one of Canada's largest employers, operating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.
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