A new value-added wood product is set to be exported from the Alberni Valley this fall, Cantimber Biotech director of project development and research Michael Liu said.
“The fuel we’re using at Cantimber is logging residue from the Alberni Valley,” said Liu.
Between 50,000-55,000 cubic metres of wood waste will be collected from 10 cut blocks in the Alberni Valley by local contractor Brad Berry and turned into activated charcoal in their new facility on Port Authority land, Liu said during an open house Tuesday at the AV Multiplex.
The brand new company—registered in May 2014— will set up shop in two warehouses near the corner of Bruce Street and Harbour Road on Port Alberni Port Authority land.
According to Liu, equipment will arrive soon and the company hopes to be in operation in September. The activated charcoal will initially be shipped to Asia but Liu said that Canada may end up being a possible destination for their product.
The plant will create 20-25 jobs that Liu said the company will try to fill locally. Trucks will transport the activated charcoal to Duke Point in Nanaimo.
While neither Liu nor PAPA director of business development and public relations Dave McCormick would specify the “confidential” details of the lease, both stated that rigorous environmental protections were written into the lease.