Much of the management theory taught in today’s classrooms is focused on consumer-based, growth businesses rather than natural resource-based, cyclical industries. This study will examine how natural resource industries, such as forestry, recognize and adapt to structural (permanent) challenges in their market environment.

Cellulose filaments (CFs) are recently-developed materials derived from wood pulp, consisting of very long, thin cellulosic strands. These filaments can be incorporated into a number of high-value non-traditional products, such as thermoset and thermoplastic composites, and can be used as rheology modifiers in fluids such as paints and various industrial fluids. However, the ‘raw’ filaments require upgrading before they can be used for these non-traditional applications.

In this project, the intern will study the production process at a Parallam mill in Vancouver working closely with its Production Manager. The objective of this work is to develop simulation models to evaluate potential alternatives in order to improve the process efficiency of the final stage of operations at the mill. The final stage is called the remanufacturing department. This stage is the bottleneck of the system and limits the mill’s productivity. It is operational 4.5 days a week and the intention is to be able to have it operational 24/7.

L'usine Kruger de Trois-Rivières produit divers dérivés de cellulose. Ces produits ont des propriétés de résistance mécaniques exceptionnelles, une densité faible (légère) en plus d'avoir une coloration relativement neutre. Nous obtiendrons ainsi à partir de ressources renouvelables, le bois, de nouveaux matériaux biosourcés. De plus, le procédé de fabrication est vert puisqu'il n'utilise aucun produit chimique ni enzyme et ne produit pas de rejet (rendement de 100%).

Cascades within the MITACS Elevation program are threefold: a. Ensure their industrial voice is represented on this international consensus building  process b. Being proactive, influence the process and anticipate the developments on the consensus around water footprinting methods c. Generate industry specific case studies to test  the method, ensure key problems are addressed and increase internal awareness Supporting the researcher that will lead the international process conducted under WULCA group is the mean of meeting the above mentioned objectives.

AVN uses a sophisticated Distributed Control System (DCS) to monitor and control the process. The mill is equipped with a data historian system which captures continuous and discrete process data from the DCS and manual tests. The effectiveness of process monitoring and control has evolved over the years. But at many stages of the process, operators’ and engineers’ interventions are still required to control the process. Now AVN is looking at the next level of process monitoring tools to take quicker corrective actions for both short term and long term process drifts.

L’application de composés alcalinisants tels que la chaux ou la cendre est de plus en plus envisagée dans les érablières du Québec afin d’améliorer le statut acide-base du sol et la nutrition des forêts. Il est possible, cependant, que ces composés provoquent un accroissement de l’activité microbienne du sol, ce qui pourrait augmenter la production de gaz à effet de serre par les sols forestiers.