FTLComm -Tisdale
June 9, 1999


In early fall this project began as a few workers cleared out the old honey storage building that was part of the former Tisdale Recorder building.
At the time I photographed the web press sitting in the very spot this new production facility is working.

A lot has happened since then. The machine you see in this picture is a combination of purchased equipment and local ingenuity and innovation to make this efficient manufacturing unit with
extraordinary high level of product quality and uniformity. In the picture above you can see waste paper being fed into the machines digest unit that breaks the material down into smaller pieces and combines it with water to form the basic paper pulp slurry that will be used to create what ever product is in production at the time. The raw material is not bleached
but comes out looking like a dark gray substance with the consistency of oatmeal porridge (as seen on the left).

The pulp is stirred at a uniform consistency and then moves on to the next stage where it is diluted and the fibres are reduced in size and colour is added to eliminate the inks that were originally on the recycle paper.

The process is almost entirely automated with two operators on hand at all times, although this just for reasons of safety as the process really requires only the supervision of a single individual. The project now employs thirteen people who are involved in developing the machinery, maintaining the various components and handling the finished product.

Of course the remarkable thing about this project is that the raw materials would normally be wasted and shipped to the landfill but the public is very supportive of this project and are busily providing the plant with waste paper products.
One interesting exception is Canada Post, with its high level of waste every day one would expect that material to come over for recycling but at this time the Post Office ships all
of its waste to the landfill site.

The picture on the right shows the stirring vat of raw material just before it is delivered to the production forms. Since the process is continuos and no modification of the raw material is carried out this plant does not produce toxic wastes either as air or liquid pollution The paper fibres are made into semi-liquid state then formed into a product and dried with water vapour as the only waste product.

The next stage of production is where the innovation and technical know how comes into play as the locally designed machine forms the wet material into apple trays right now (other products will be made in the future) and they move from the form to the drying unit where they emerge ready for packaging and shipment as seen in the picture below.

These apple crate dividers are currently being shipped to
Washington and Oregon state while others are going to Eastern Canada to Apple growers there. In all cases the trays are

going to world export markets and this particular innovative process with its consistent high quality makes this one of the best such products in the world.

Below you can see the materials stacked up ready to be moved to storage where they will be wrapped for shipping. The strength and high quality control of this products is responsible for its high demand in the market.

But the story doesn't end with this product. This is only the beginning. Research and development into new products is continuous as there are so many applications for biodegradable nonpolluting containers. One of the most interesting products currently under development are bee
shipping containers. With Tisdale as one of the worlds most productive locations for the use of agricultural bees and the worlds difficulties with both disease and hybridization of the various types of honey bees there is a real need to ship them all over the world and this plant is designing containers just for that purpose.

The picture at left is an example of one of the new experimental bee shipping containers. Almost four inches thick made of sturdy
recycled paper the container poses no threat to the bee and is strong and easy to handle by shippers.

The brains behind Nuform Packaging Inc. is Garry Beaudette who is using his talent, training and experience to not only create a business, but is also at the leading edge in this exciting recycling technology. Garry pointed out that he really appreciates the support he and his company have received from the people of Tisdale and he intends to reward the clubs, business and individuals who have been providing the plant with the much needed raw materials to get this project underway. With the present success and the high level of acceptance of the production from the current plant, plans are developing to see the production facility expand with additional machinery as new product lines are tested and ready for the market place.