OLEOTEK receives financial support from Canada Economic Development for acquiring an equipment

Thetford Mines, January 24, 2018 – The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, announced an investment in research infrastructure at OLEOTEK, a technology transfert center specialized in green chemistry, sustainable chemistry, process scale-up and oleochemistry, of the Cégep de Thetford.

The Government of Canada is investing $ 352,000 through its Economic Development for Quebec Regions to acquire and install a high-power double planetary mixer. Funding is complemented by the financial contribution of two OLEOTEK industrial partners, General Dynamics – OTS Canada and Kruger Biomaterials.

The project aims to improve the technology transfert capacity of the center and enhance the performance and innovation activities of SMEs in order to create wealth and diversify the economy of the region. David Berthiaume, CEO of OLEOTEK, is pleased with this announcement : “This project is a very concrete illustration of a complementary public and private investment aimed at regional economic diversification. We are proud of this brand of trust from our partners and customers!”.

The reactor, with a capacity of 700 liters and a power of 30 HP, allows the treatment of difficult to stir materials, such as lubricating greases, biomasses or minerals. The equipment can be used for scaling chemical synthesis, surface modification or hydrometallurgy processes, as well as for the production of pre-commercial batches.

This new reactor is in addition to the impressive fleet of OLEOTEK pilot plant equipment, which helps innovative chemistry companies to successfully complete the commercialization stage. The center’s pilot facilities enable client companies to validate their process, test their market and start marketing without spending large amounts of money on their own pre-commercial production facilities.