About
Our applied research expertise
At Innofibre, we contribute to the technological acceleration of your bioprocesses and bioproducts. We help you reduce the technological risks associated with innovation in your industrial processes and product diversification. By working with us, you have access to our specialized analytical laboratories as well as to pilot facilities that are unique in North America. Our industrial partners can count on our multidisciplinary team to meet their needs and carry out various applied research mandates.
Pulp and paper | Cellulosic products
- Functional and bioactive papers
- Thermoformed products
- Surface treatment
- Conventional and non-conventional pulp processing
- Equipment development and validation
- Technical support service
Bioproducts | Biorefining
- Conditioning and pre-treatment of biomass (forest, agricultural, residual)
- Development of bio-based products and materials
- Thermochemical conversion and bioenergy (combustion, pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction)
- Microalgea production and harvesting
Why work with us
Accelerate technology development
Access to state-of-the-art equipment
Access to the research ecosystem
Develop sustainable collaborations
Our Mission
Contribute to the technological positioning and the sustainable development of the Quebec pulp and paper and biorefinery industry by supporting the innovation and diversification of biomass products and by adapting pulp and paper technologies.
Our Vision
Innofibre’s vision is to be recognized as a key player in the establishment of Quebec’s bio-economy by assisting companies in the development of innovative cellulosic and biomass-based products. Innofibre wants to push the limits of applied research and technology transfer by building on long-term relationships with its partners and promoting multidisciplinary collaborations.
Our Values
Respect
Respect is fundamental at Innofibre. Treating Innofibre team members, customers and partners with the utmost respect is our core value. Teamwork, in a climate of respect and transparency, is what ensures the success of our projects. Priority is also given to meeting deadlines and quality criteria.
Commitment
We have our customers’ success at heart and Innofibre wants to be a part of it by exceeding expectations. Let’s not forget our commitment to the regional and college community, which is reflected in the transfer of knowledge and expertise in order to promote positive spin-offs in the region, but also to spark the interest of students in the challenges of tomorrow. We maintain our commitment to the environment by thinking about the end-of-life of biosourced products and by valorizing the co-products resulting from transformation processes.
Innovation
Visionary and open to new ways of doing things, Innofibre finds the inspiration to meet customer needs in innovation. Innovative management processes and teamwork are also considered to encourage excellence and fulfillment for Innofibre employees.
Boldness
We never settle for simplicity of execution. We are constantly seeking to develop innovative processes and products. Innofibre dares to question its practices and those of the industry and boldly offers to meet the needs of businesses and the community.
History
Created in 1989 as the Centre spécialisé en pâtes et papiers (CSPP—Specialized Pulp and Paper Centre), the CSPP became Innofibre— Centre d’innovation des produits cellulosiques (Cellulosic Product Innovation Centre) in January 2013. The Centre is a Cégep de Trois-Rivières department and under its general management. Innofibre has always distinguished itself by its extensive ilot plant, located in a pavilion dedicated to pulp and paper and biorefinery. Until 2006, the CSPP shared installations inherited from the Institut provincial de papeterie (Provincial Paper Institute) with the Pulp and Paper Technologies department. The Institute created, in 1923, the very first pulp and paper technical training program for Quebec. It is part of the Trois-Rivières and Nicolet educational institutions that merged in 1968 to create the Cégep de Trois-Rivières.
Since 1989, through multiple partnerships and bold projects, Innofibre has continuously improved its pilot facilities to meet the development needs of the pulp and paper and biorefinery industries. More specifically, Innofibre’s areas of expertise are papermaking (pilot paper machine), de-inking, high-performance pulps, bioactive papers, thermomolded pulps, modified fibers, biomass conditioning processes, thermochemical conversions, bioenergy, forest extractives, microalgae and bio-sourced products derived from organic residual materials.
In 1998, the Cégep de Trois-Rivières and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières undertook a major project to bring together, in a single location, all the research and teaching teams as well as the equipment to better meet the needs and challenges of the industry. The CSPP team was particularly involved in all stages of the project from the design, construction and installation of the Integrated Pulp and Paper Center (CIPP). Following the major move in June 2006, the CSPP team completed the start-up and running-in of the pilot workshops and the training of the Cégep teaching staff and UQTR researchers.
As of January 2011, Innofibre has taken over the pilot facilities (paper machine, pulp shop, surface treatment, etc.) and no longer operates under the CIPP umbrella. In 2015, the increase in the number of projects in the biorefinery sector has forced Innofibre to better equip itself to meet the growing demands of businesses. Innofibre currently leases an industrial space of more than 17,000 square feet where research activities are carried out jointly with companies and other research institutions.
Over time, the Centre’s expertise has diversified to better meet the needs of the industry and to adapt to its evolution. Innofibre is now recognized as a leader in the development of cellulosic fiber bioproducts and bioprocesses. In 2019, Innofibre inaugurated the NSERC Chair in Eco-design for a Circular Economy of Thermoformed Cellulosic Pulp Packaging, of which Innofibre researcher Tarik Jabrane is the holder.
In 2021, the Centre will continue its mission to support companies in the development of innovations. At the dawn of a green economic recovery, with its various fields of expertise in bioproducts and biorefinery, Innofibre is more than ever positioned to become a key player for companies and institutions in the transition to a sustainable economy.