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Pulp and paper’s future leaders: Meet Jawad Jeaidi

The future of pulp and paper looks bright.

Armed with a strong work ethic, initiative, curiosity, and a commitment to training and safety, the 2021 winners of our Top 10 Under 40 program are setting the bar for young professionals across the industry in management, operations, maintenance, sales, support and research.

To highlight the achievements of each individual selected for the Top 10 Under 40 list, Pulp & Paper Canada will feature one of 2021’s winners every week for the next 10 weeks. Nominations for the 2022 contest open at the end of the year.

This week, we introduce Jawad Jeaidi, process engineer for CanmetENERGY in Varennes, Que.

Work ethic, initiative, leadership, excellence, kindness — these are just some of the words that appeared repeatedly in Jeaidi’s multiple nominations from colleagues throughout his pulp and paper career.

At 35, Jeaidi’s contributions to the industry are already lauded. He’s authored over two dozen technical papers for conferences, several peer-reviewed papers related to forestry transformation and the bioeconomy, and a book chapter. Jeaidi is particularly focused on retrofitting pulp and paper mills into biorefineries, exploring opportunities in lignin and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry.

Having started his career as a consultant for the manufacturing industry, Jeaidi joined CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada’s clean energy technology research centre, for the first time in 2014.

He spent over four years as a process engineer, where he helped to create digital tools for process monitoring and optimization, before moving on to White Birch Paper’s mill in 2018 to work as a continuous improvement coordinator and then a technical supervisor.

While there, he helped with an energy efficiency project on the paper machine’s vacuum system that led to the development of a waste heat recovery system. In March 2021, Jeaidi rejoined CanmetENERGY, where he explores innovative solutions such as artificial intelligence applications in pulp and paper.

“His strategic thinking and ability to adapt and identify best global practices made him contribute significantly to projects such as the commissioning and qualification of a new production line and successful application of grant proposals for energy-efficiency projects,” says colleague Olumoye Ajao. “This attests to his leadership qualities.”

So does Jeaidi’s commitment to leadership skills training and courses in project management.

Says Ajao: “Many decades from now, we will still be able to look back and recognize his lasting impact on the Canadian pulp and paper industry.”

Up next: we highlight the contributions of winner Devin Kelly.