Technology and the Canadian Forest-Product Industries ... - ArtSites

industry. Many firms perceive Paprican as an alternative to in-houseresearch.Feric's mission is to conduct R&D to improve the efficiency ofwood-harvesting operations and to minimize the cost of wood used inmanufacturing. Prior to Feric, diverse local conditions and the importanceof small businesses in logging and the manufacture of loggingequipment had meant meagre and fragmented R&D on the engineeringtechnology used in wood harvesting. Feric has sought, first, toprovide a Canada-wide framework for R&D to improve components,machines, and systems in all phases of wood-harvesting operations;second, to search worldwide for relevant concepts and encouragetheir adoption in Canada; and, third, to disseminate its results inpublished papers and field work.Feric's R&D is strongly developmental and site-specific. Feric hasbeen almost exclusively concerned with technology transfer and withpromoting "best practice" technology, wherever it originates. Althoughit maintains some contact with the R&D departments of equipmentsuppliers, Feric concentrates on R&D that supports wood-harvestingbusiness and substitutes for their in-house R&D.Forintek conducts R&D and provides services in codes and standards,technology transfer, and training and education for the Canadianwood-products industry. Forintek estimates about 60 per cent ofits work is R&D and 30 per cent codes and standards. Forintek wascreated to encourage greater sensitivity to the needs of the woodproductsindustry, and its R&D has been more developmental andhas involved more technology transfer than that of its predecessorlaboratories."Forintek sees itself providing technological leadership to thewood-processing industry in five ways:• by providing a "technological bridge" between forest managerand manufacturer at a time when the nature of the forest is changingrapidly.• by stimulating higher levels of productivity and wood utilizationin the mills.• by providing the technical expertise to develop and influencecodes and standards that are in the interests of Canadian woodproducts and wood designs.• by increasing the competitiveness of wood products through thedevelopment of new products and processes.• by educating industry about technology through courses.Like Feric, Forintek strives to promote adoption of the best technologythat has been developed anywhere in the world. In addition,Forintek, sometimes in cooperation with universities, has establishedlong-term R&D programs in such fields as biotechnology.39