CPLP receives roughly 2/3 of its fibre needs from CFP. It receives the balance through fibre supply agreements with other firms. When sawmills are less active, as they were recently, CPLP sometimes needs to source whole logs from these same suppliers, but this is a minority of supply and our preference is always for sawmill residual chips, which do produce superior pulp and paper.
This fibre resource consists largely of chips from white spruce (Picea glauca), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Adapting to the harsh climate in the region, these species naturally develop long, slender and thin-walled cellulose fibres which make them especially valuable for high-quality, lightweight printing papers, premium tissue and highstrength, thin specialty papers, packaging and laminates.
We select the sawmills from which we source wood chips for the availability of premium fibre quality and for the proximity to our three pulp mills, allowing for eco-efficient transportation. Long term fibre supply agreements and market pricing formula ensure stability of supply.
Approximately 47% by weight of the sawmill chips which we receive are converted into high-quality white pulp fibres. Extracting this fibre efficiently while retaining its long, strong reinforcing qualities is the primary purpose of our pulping operations. The remaining constituents of the wood – lignin, hemicelluloses and other organic materials – are not wasted; they are converted into carbon-neutral energy that powers the process of separating them from the cellulose fibres in a remarkably efficient process known as the Kraft Pulping Process.
