FPInnovations, Canada, and Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA, through its Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering (AC-PABE), this week announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a partnership to introduce and implement FPInnovations’ Near-Neutral Brightening (NNB) technology and other technical services to the forest products industry in Alabama, and over time to the broader U.S. Southeast.

The five-year agreement initially aims to bring NNB technology to AC-PABE’s member mills in Alabama, while facilitating the transfer of FPInnovations’ technical services to Alabama and neighboring states. 

In addition, the parties have agreed to begin building future technical support capabilities by sponsoring a post-doctoral student at Auburn University, to conduct further research on NNB technology and other aspects of the bleaching of kraft pulp and to support the implementation of the technology in the state. The AC-PABE is hosted within the Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

The MOU was signed during the 2016 TAPPI PEERS conference in Jacksonville, Fla., earlier this week 

"We are proud to be partnering with Auburn University and the AC-PABE. This MOU is an important milestone in FPInnovations’ strategy to showcase our globally-renowned expertise and provide services to U.S. mills, "said Pierre Lapointe, and CEO of FPInnovations. "FPInnovations has world-class research and technologies which match perfectly with AC-PABE’s mission to bring technical solutions from around the world to its members and, together, we will implement innovative technologies that will be of benefit to Alabama, FPInnovations, and the South-Eastern U.S."

More information about FPInnovations is available online, as is more information about the Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering: 

FPInnovations is a not-for-profit world-leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector’s value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations’ staff numbers more than 525. Its R&D laboratories are located in Québec City, Montréal, and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada.