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LignoForce™ Process a Breakthrough for Canada

June 26, 2014

An innovative plant for the recovery of lignin from kraft black liquor will open the West Fraser pulp mill in Hinton, Alberta, to a high-value revenue stream in the forest products industry. The facility is a Canadian first for the LignoForce™ process, which was conceived by FPInnovations and advanced by NORAM Engineering from proof-of-concept, through to piloting and industrial-scale implementation.

The transformative LignoForce™ process is the culmination of a trans-Canadian developmental effort, which began in the Quebec laboratories of FPInnovations. Process studies and engineering were undertaken by NORAM in British Columbia – which is also where the first pilot plant was assembled – ahead of a successful pilot plant campaign jointly conducted with FPInnovations at Resolute Forest Products’ Thunder Bay mill in Ontario, which ultimately led to the siting of the first commercial facility in Alberta.

The LignoForce™ process positions West Fraser with a value-added product which has formulated growing interest as a renewable substitute in applications such as surfactants and binders, adhesives in composite wood products, polyol in polyurethane foams, chemicals, thermoplastic composites, packaging, carbon fibre, carbon black, activated carbon, dispersant/flocculant, epoxy resins, binders in foundry resins, and as a binder in wood pellets.

> For more information see: FPInnovations and West Fraser Welcome NRCan Investment Towards Innovative Lignin Separation Process

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