$1.3M grant supports research into new wood products

Qubec City, QC – The federal government is providing $1.3 million support for a new industrial research chair in wood products at Universit Laval. The research team will investigate new opportunities for value-added products in the structural and appearance markets.

The federal government’s contribution to this chair is being made through NSERC’s Industrial Research Chairs program and will total $1.3 million over five years. The chair will conduct its research in collaboration with 11 private and public sector partners: Forintek Canada, the Centre de recherche industrielle du Qubec, the Ministre des Ressources naturelles du Qubec, Abitibi-Consolidated, Kruger, Chantiers Chibougamau, Shermag, Les industries de la Rive Sud, Uniboard Canada, the Mouvement des caisses populaires Desjardins and Industries Maibec. These partners will contribute a total of $1.5 million along with expertise and resources to enhance research activities and ensure dissemination of research results. Plans call for the chair to provide training to 20 students at the masters and doctoral levels.

The senior chairholder will be Dr Robert Beauregard, a professor of forestry at Universit Laval. "It is essential for Canada’s wood products companies to evolve from a business model based on access to low-cost labour and natural resources to one that competes by offering products and processes unique to the world market," says Dr Beauregard. "To achieve this transformation, these firms must focus on their clients and deliver the products and services that meet their needs, including needs that these clients themselves cannot yet perceive."