| Focus on Sustainability
in Saskatchewan |
 By Susan Avery
The town of Craik, Saskatchewan (pop. 500), has attracted substantial investment from a Vancouver-based, publicly traded company preparing to build an innovative processing plant for a hemp-based textile. Craik’s partnership with Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc. (NAT) is a direct result of the town’s efforts to explore sustainable alternatives.
According to NAT, Craik’s commitment to sustainable development makes it the natural choice for the site of the company’s CRAILAR® (named after the town) processing plant. NAT is developing a new eco-friendly process for making hemp and bast fibers that it says can substitute for organic cotton textiles, performance yarns, and composites. Its objective is to create a certifiable organic and sustainable fiber from seed to yarn.
Ken Barker, CEO of Naturally Advanced Technologies, said the company’s decision to invest in Craik was straightforward. “The community of Craik is a demonstrated leader in sustainable development. Led by mayor Rod Haugerud, the town’s focus on sustainability makes it an ideal fit for Naturally Advanced Technologies’ production operations. Complementing this strategic fit is the fact that Saskatchewan is the Canadian leader in organic farming, which was the other key factor in our decision to invest in the region.”
The new facility, which is expected to be up and running in the first quarter of 2009, will process hemp using NAT’s patent pending suite of technologies that were developed in partnership with the Alberta Research Council and the National Research Council of Canada. The facility will be built on the 80 acres of land provided by the town and will use Canadian Green Building Council construction guidelines wherever possible.
|
