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Feds invest $4.5M in new flail debarker at Mercer Celgar pulp mill

The Mercer Celgar pulp mill in Castlegar, B.C. will receive $4.5 million in federal funding for new technology and processes that improve fibre processing and address regional fibre availability issues in the province.

The project deploys a first-of-its-kind, high-capacity and low-operating-cost stationary flail debarker at the mill.

This new flail debarker removes bark from wood that would previously end up as debris after the harvesting process. This will reduce the amount of forest waste and lower emissions from decreased forest residue burning.

Funding for this project is provided through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program (IFIT) , which encourages the Canadian forest sector to adopt innovative technologies and processes to establish new product streams and tap into emerging markets.

The federal 2021 budget announced up to $54.8 million over two years starting in 2021–2022, to increase the capacity of the IFIT program.

“With this support from the Government of Canada, Mercer Celgar is putting in place one more piece of the sustainability puzzle as we rise to meet the challenge of climate change,” says David Gandossi, president and CEO of Mercer Celgar, in a statement.

“This new wood room allows Mercer to continue its leadership position in the 21st-century bioeconomy by making full and efficient use of our valuable forest resources. In addition, this investment further supports sustainability initiatives that will enhance social, economic and environmental benefits for our communities.”