La Doré: Sawmill of the future

10-year innovation partnership develops technology that is setting the bar in the global lumber production industry
If you’re wondering what the next generation of sawmill could look like, you don’t have to look much further than Resolute’s La Dore operation in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, according to the Association pour le développement de la recherche et de l’innovation du Québec (ADRIQ).

Three new systems see ROI in less than a year
Over the last 10 years, Resolute and the Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) have worked together to develop a program of regular upgrades and improvements to existing equipment. The result: eleven new patents and three new systems that, in less than a year, have generated a return on investment (ROI).
The efforts of Resolute and CRIQ were recognized last week in Montréal at the Annual Innovation Gala. The team received a joint Technology Partnership Award.

Improved productivity and quality

Developed by CRIQ as part of the sawmill automation program, the three systems include:

• Debarking control and optimization
• Trim analysis
• A means of classifying wood by measuring its mechanical properties

“With these ongoing improvements and technological advancements, La Doré can easily adapt, resulting in improved productivity and product quality. We’re raising the bar and improving the global competitiveness of the facility,” explains Karl Blackburn, director of Public Affairs and Government Relations at Resolute.

Helping Quebec-based businesses grow
And if you’re wondering about CRIQ, it’s an industrial research centre funded by the Government of Quebec. Formed in 1969, it’s a source of innovation and expertise in manufacturing technologies, the environment, industrial information and standardization. It works to identify, create and implement R&D work in a number of sectors, including the wood products and pulp and paper industry.