ArboraNano receives "Celebrate Partnerships!" award for role in NanoCrystalline Cellulose Commercialization Effort

MONTREAL, May 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - ArboraNano, the Canadian Forest NanoProducts Network, was honoured yesterday to receive a "Celebrate Partnerships!" award from the Association for the Development of Research and Innovation of Quebec (ADRIQ).  The award was presented in recognition of the successful partnership between ArboraNano, CelluForce, FPInnovations and NanoQuébec, leading to the commercial production and application of NanoCrystalline Cellulose (NCC).

The prestigious award, now in its third edition, is intended to encourage innovation and competitiveness and recognizes successful technology collaborations between researchers, entrepreneurs and their partners that lead to economic benefits for Québec.  It was presented to ArboraNano May 17, 2012 during a ceremony held at Marché Bonsecours in Montréal.

NCC, a sustainable nanomaterial derived from wood fibre, is being investigated in more than 20 R&D projects supported by ArboraNano and its partners. NCC has tremendous potential to produce a new class of high-value manufactured products through its ability to impart many unique physical, optical and electrical properties.  Targeted developments include paints, coatings, security inks, foams, films, composites, membranes, adhesives, textiles, drug delivery systems, oil drilling mud and paper & board products. Scientists and engineers from the aerospace, automotive, health and forest sectors and from universities across Canada are involved in the effort.

"ArboraNano has facilitated the creation of partnerships between researchers from different industry sectors that are so essential for the development of new products incorporating NCC," says Dr. Ron Crotogino, ArboraNano Network Director.  "Our expertise with the manufacture and use of NCC will contribute to unlocking the potential of cellulose in the developing bio-economy and create a competitive advantage and new business opportunities for Canada in the coming years".

CelluForce is the world leader in the commercial development of NanoCrystalline Cellulose (NCC). The company is a joint venture of Domtar Corporation, a global paper supplier, and FPInnovations, a not-for-profit forest sector R&D institute. Following the extraordinary progress that was made by FPInnovations in scaling up the production of NCC and demonstrating the safety of this material, CelluForce began manufacturing NCC in 2012 in the world's first demonstration plant of its kind, located in Windsor, Québec.

ArboraNano is proud to participate with its Network Members CelluForce, FPInnovations and NanoQuébec in this remarkable collaboration of industry entrepreneurs, researchers and governments, which serves as an example of the power of broadly-based innovation partnerships.

About ArboraNano

ArboraNano, a Business-led Network of Centres of Excellence supported by the Government of Canada, was founded by FPInnovations and NanoQuébec.  It receives support from its industrial members and governmental partners including NRCan, Québec's FQRNT, MRNF and MDEIE, Alberta's AI-BS, AI-TF and NanoAccelerator, and the Ontario Bio Auto Council.  ArboraNano is forging alliances between Canada's forest industry and the aerospace, automotive, health and chemical industries to create new, innovative opportunities for the development of high-value nanoproducts using forest‐derived materials, most notably Nanocrystalline Cellulose (NCC).

For media inquiries please contact:

Lisa Braidwood
514.630.4100 ext. 2801
[email protected]
www.arboranano.ca