Bio-pathways Partnership Network launched

Apr. 8, 2011, Ottawa – The Forest Products
Association of Canada (FPAC) announces the launch of a new Bio-pathways
Partnership Network aimed at exploring new business ventures that will help
exploit the economic opportunities of the emerging bio-age. Network
participants will come from such sectors as the chemical, energy,
pharmaceutical, auto, aerospace, and plastics industries, as well as other
technology providers that can collaborate with the forest products industry on
extracting bio-chemicals, bioenergy, and biomaterials from trees.

"This is a welcome development
stemming from our recent bio-pathways report. That study confirmed the social,
economic, and environmental advantage of integrating these new bioproducts in
existing mill operations. It also pointed to a myriad of market opportunities
for companies willing to invest in new green innovations based on wood
fibre," says FPAC president and CEO, Avrim Lazar. "We know that
business as usual will not work. Establishing partnerships will be a win-win
situation economically that will allow us to more quickly transform the forest
products industry."

An inaugural meeting of the network that
took place earlier this month in Toronto will be followed by meetings in
British Columbia and Alberta. Members are also working to set up a steering
committee and a secretariat to manage the network. The goal is to provide a
forum for the development of business-to-business relationships, to identify
and conduct research, to facilitate access to expertise in planning and
development of bioproducts, and to reach out to other potential partners
interested in innovation in the forest products industry.

"Wood fibre is one of Canada's most
abundant natural resources," says Lazar. "With this new network, we
are inviting other sectors to partner with FPAC members to take advantage of
the potential of the bioeconomy with exciting new products, new technologies,
and new markets."

Interested parties are encouraged to join
the Network at www.fpac.ca/bio-pathways-partnership/.

For more information on the Bio-pathways
project, visit www.fpac.ca/bio-pathways.