MONTREAL, April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Groupements forestiers Québec, a powerful force in Québec forestry with its more than 26,000 private forest landowners, and FPInnovations, a private not-for-profit organization that specializes in the creation of solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness, have been awarded $6,678,540 as part of the Digital Transformation Offensive (DTO), a strategic initiative led by the Québec Ministry of the Economy and Innovation (MEI), in order to accelerate the digital transformation of companies in all sectors of activity and regions of Québec.
The MEI’s investment in digital transformation supports efforts by Groupements forestiers Québec to modernize and optimize logging operations in private forests and will enable FPInnovations to continue to develop and implement solutions and technologies that create economic value and improve the forest sector’s competitiveness and efficiency. The digital transformation will also significantly reduce energy consumption and, consequently, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Two separate components will receive MEI funding – data valorization and industrial forestry operations optimization:
- DIGITAL TRANSITION OF LOGGING OPERATIONS:
This component will enable FPInnovations and Groupements forestiers Québec to educate and guide loggers as they implement a remote performance monitoring and troubleshooting solution. This solution will generate a continuous stream of data to help loggers improve equipment efficiency and profitability.
Groupements forestiers Québec, in collaboration with FPInnovations, will guide forestry producers in private forests through their digital transition. - OPTIMIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL DRYING EQUIPMENT FOR WOOD PRODUCTS:
This component will enable FPInnovations to make Québec sawmillers aware of digital transformation’s potential and to demonstrate that potential by creating a new pilot drying process monitoring system that will be introduced at Clermond Hamel – a Québec sawmilling, drying, and planing company – and used to showcase the technology. The system – developed in partnership with SPN Consultants that is providing proven digital technology – will boost productivity and quality in order to increase process efficiency and consequently reduce energy consumption and, therefore, the carbon footprint.
FPInnovations welcomes efforts by the Québec Ministry of the Economy and Innovation to better support forest industry companies that want to develop their business strategies and digital transformation initiatives to accelerate their growth and increase their competitiveness.
Quotations
“Funding provided by the Québec Ministry of the Economy and Innovation for the forest sector’s digital transformation reflects the government’s commitment to this fast-changing sector that is a pillar of Québec’s current and future economy. FPInnovations is proud to be a major player in this digital shift that will further propel the industry, making it more economically and energy efficient and resulting in lower carbon emissions.”
Stéphane Renou, President and Chief Executive Officer, FPInnovations
“Advocating for several years for the deployment of means that allow its member groups and the woodlot owners they represent to make their full contribution to the development of Quebec, Groupements forestiers Québec (GFQ) is very pleased with this announcement. By combining their expertise to support digital transition, Groupements forestiers Québec (GFQ) and FPInnovations will optimize private forest operations, which will help to address the overarching labour issue.”
Rénald Bernier, President, Groupements forestiers Québec
“We are pleased that FPInnovations has selected SPN’s technology for this data valorization project that aims to optimize drying operations. We are proud to take part in this initiative that holds great promise for the forest industry economy.”
Jean Nehmé, Chief Executive Officer, SPN Consultants
“I am a big believer in initiatives such as those announced today that address businesses’ real needs and that provide guidance to entrepreneurs so that they can begin their digital transformation. We must increase these kinds of projects throughout Québec, and that's what we'll continue to do with the DTO.”
Pierre Fitzgibbon, Québec Minister of the Economy and Innovation and Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development
“We must focus on the digital transformation of businesses. Some SMEs have long been ready to fit into an economy that’s more open to digital transformation while others understand that they must take a quantum leap to meet this challenge. In both cases, the DTO will enable us to provide guidance and support for digital transformation.”
Éric Girard, MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a private not-for-profit organization that specializes in the creation of solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness. It is ideally positioned to perform state-of-the-art research, develop advanced technologies, and deliver innovative solutions to complex problems for every area of the sector’s value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations’ R&D laboratories are located in Montréal, Quebec City, and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada.
About Groupements forestiers Québec
A powerful force in forestry, Groupements forestiers Québec is a non-profit organization representing 37 member groups that bring together 26,000 private forest landowners. Joint management, intensive and efficient forest management, as well as sustainable development are just some of the principles that guide its actions and focus on wealth creation for the benefit of all regions.
| Contacts | ||
| Denis Rousseau, F. Eng., M.Sc. Manager, Industry Sector, FPInnovations 418 563-9135 denis.rousseau@fpinnovations.ca | Dany Rousseau Communications Director, Groupements Forestiers Québec 418 906-7651 direction@lemondeforestier.ca | |
