Mercer Peace River (MPR) is thrilled to announce the completion of the Fibre Procurement Project. This exciting project was officially announced in 2021 and has transformed MPR’s fibre procurement process, improved our environmental performance, created a more sustainable business model, and created several long-term career opportunities.
The Fibre Procurement Project had two priorities: the first was to revitalize the woodroom by building a brand new debarker and woodchipper. The second priority was to establish Peace River Transport.
The new woodroom features one of the largest debarkers in the world and is housed in a state-of-the-art wood chipping facility. The new fibre procurement process will bring MPR’s use of diesel wood chippers on aspen trees in the forest to an end.
Hardwood logs will now be cut to length and transported to the mill on larger, more efficient 10-axle Peace River Transport trucks.
The logs will be processed through the debarker and woodchipper, which are equipped with some of the most innovative debarking, chipping and monitoring technologies.
This new way of processing hardwood improves MPR’s environmental performance substantially. By 2050, through this investment, MPR is projected to have reduced fossil fuel emissions by over 900,000 tonnes of CO2e and sequester 2.6 million tonnes of CO2e through forest conservation. Further, the onsite processing is powered by the green energy that is generated onsite.
MPR is proud to have completed this significant milestone that will truly transform the hardwood procurement process. MPR would like to thank all team members and contractors for their hard work to make this dream a reality.
By Jody Bekevich, Communications and Stakeholder Relations Coordinator, Mercer Peace River | Photography Submitted