Innofibre is a College Centre for the Transfer of Technology (CCTT) at Cégep de Trois-Rivières focused on production of cellulose products made from wood, pulp, and paper biomass.
Every year, the recycling firm BRQ Fibre & Broyure reclaims more than 100,000 tons of residual biomass, including wood from demolition, deconstruction, and pruning. Traditionally, the biomass has been re-purposed in the energy sector but, as a leading-edge company, BRQ wants to break new ground by introducing innovative products. That’s why its executives called on Innofibre.
In their first partnership, BRQ and Innofibre designed a product made of 100 per cent recycled material, relying on collaborative efforts that allowed for a back-and-forth exchange of expertise. BRQ now has several wood-fibre-based products in its sights, and their development will require larger-scale research with Innofibre.
As BRQ spokesman Jean-Pierre Lafond summarizes, “Innofibre is our research hub. All of our scientific work goes through them.”
Over the past year, Innofibre’s research partnership with BRQ Fibre & Broyure Inc. has generated concrete results in the private sector. The partners now have a series of three-year research projects under development, some of which involve cooperation with other organizations, including La Coop fédérée. Innofibre and BRQ reap tangible benefits from their partnership and knowledge that can be shared with other companies in the biomass-conversion business.
