Highlights: NORAM began scale-up work with FPInnovations on their laboratory process in 2008, leading to major equipment revisions to reduce size and complexity, and, ultimately, bring about a 10-fold reduction in cost. Close collaboration between the FPInnovations researchers and NORAM engineers led to further experimentation to refine the design concept, and second and third scale-up exercises ensued. Guided by technical criteria furnished by NORAM, a suitable candidate site to host the first industrial-scale production facility was identified, and NORAM commenced planning around the available footprint. The facility, with a production capacity of 1,000 kg of NCC per day, was officially inaugurated in January 2012, becoming the first of its kind in the world.

Scope of work: In addition to scale-up assistance, project cost estimation and site qualification, NORAM provided the detailed design and engineering (process, mechanical, instrumentation, piping) for the demonstration plant, and furnished a proprietary equipment package for a part of the process. Site support included commissioning and start-up assistance.