Formica’s Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu plant set to surpass its GHG reduction targets

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, October 22, 2024 – Formica Canada has undertaken three projects to increase the energy efficiency of its Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu plant in the pursuit of its goal to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 50 % by 2026 and become carbon neutral by 2030. Implementing these changes should result in a 20 % reduction in natural gas consumption and an equivalent reduction in GHG emissions.

Formica’s Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu plant consumes natural gas to produce steam and maintain the desired temperatures in the manufacturing systems. To cut down on natural gas use, three projects are in place: 1) press energy optimization, 2) heat exchanger installation to recover energy from an impregnator, and 3) hot water production at the accumulator through impregnator heat recovery.

“As the world's largest manufacturer of high-pressure laminate (HPL), Formica Group wants to explore every opportunity to optimize its processes to reduce its environmental impact. That's why our plant is heavily invested in energy efficiency projects to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” says Christelle Locat-Rainville, Marketing Director at Formica Canada.

Project 1: Press energy optimization
Undertaken in November 2022, the press energy optimization project aims to reduce steam demand and inefficiencies in the operation of the plant's thermal power station, by reducing heating requirements and optimizing controls.

Water storage tanks have been added to the press heating process to store the hot water used for reuse in the next firing cycle. Thanks to the tanks, more energy is conserved in the system, the demand for steam at the boilers is considerably reduced and the water returning to the boilers for the next cycle is warmer, reducing the need for energy to produce steam.

Following a 10-month construction phase and a multi-million investment, press optimization has been ongoing at the plant since November 2023. The results have been excellent, with an estimated 12 % annual reduction in natural gas use.

Project 2: Impregnator heat exchangers
The impregnation line where melamine resin is applied to the paper, requires the use of natural gas to maintain the desired temperatures using the burners.

The aim of this project is to preheat the supply air for the existing ventilation units and the impregnator by recovering part of the heat contained in the exhaust air to preheat the incoming air. Once completed, the project is planned to reduce natural gas consumption by 10 % and GHG emissions by 5 %.

Project 3: Hot water production at the accumulator
When paper is impregnated with a resin containing phenols during treatment, volatile organic compounds are emitted and must be treated in an RTO (regenerative thermal oxidizer) to comply with the emission standards of the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs.

The very high temperature (200°C to 220°C) that exhaust from the RTO preheats the impregnator’s supply air in an air-to-air exchanger. To reduce natural gas consumption by the plant's thermal power station, a new air/water exchanger will be installed at the RTO outlet, enabling energy to be recovered and used to heat the water in the accumulator upstream of the current air/air exchanger.

The project is currently underway and should be completed by June 2025. It is expected to reduce natural gas consumption by 5 % and GHG emissions by 5 %.

Formica Canada continues its efforts
Formica is committed to continuous improvement to optimize its processes. Formica Canada will continue to implement energy efficiency measures at its Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu plant to reduce its natural gas consumption and GHG emissions and contribute to the fight against climate change, while remaining competitive and offering sustainable, quality products.

Formica Corporation committed to sustainable development
Since Formica Group first joined Broadview in 2019, the company has been deeply committed to the pursuit of sustainable development. Formica aspires to carbon neutrality by 2030 and has developed an action plan to achieve this target. Ensuring the company's long-term sustainability means reducing its environmental footprint. Formica's credo is “do no harm, do good, do better.” With a goal of reducing its CO₂ emissions by 50 % (27,500 tonnes) by 2026, the company will cut emissions at its facilities by at least 25 % and will replace the remaining emissions with carbon offset credits. Formica Group proactively and transparently published its environmental impact data. The latest report is available here.