Fortress Paper saving the forestry sector one innovation at a time

Canada’s forestry sector has seen a couple of challenging decades, but now is the time to move forward with cutting-edge technology to remain globally competitive, the CEO of Fortress Paper says.

Chad Wasilenkoff tells BNN wood used to be used just for lumber, but it’s now being used as a bio-refiner. “We’re taking the wood, we’re breaking it right down to the molecular level and extracting as many products as we can, so we can get as much value out of that wood as possible.”

He points to the layer of bio cellulose on LCD screens and the crisp taste in sugar-free gum comes from wood cellulose also. “At our mill in Quebec, we’re converting the wood, purifying it down to a cellulose product and it goes into making rayon. It’s a competitor for the cotton industry.”