UMaine Process Development Center is Awarded $1,083,000 from the Maine Technology Asset Fund
The UMaine PDC has offered its facility, equipment, and expertise for cooperative research and development projects to businesses that are small start-ups as well as with established global companies. We are pleased to announce that on June 9, 2009 the Center was awarded $1,083,000 from the Maine Technology Asset Fund to significantly upgrade the facility. These funds, combined with generous donations valued at over $2,364,000 from the PDC’s research partners, will enable substantial improvements and thus, modernize and expand the services available to the public.
The PDC supports public and private collaborations, particularly with the forest products industry, and its extensive assets are available for all stages of projects, from concept development and innovation, to demonstration and validation, and towards successful commercialization. The upgrades will ensure that the PDC remains competitive at the national and international level.
All of us at the PDC are deeply grateful to our community partners who have donated equipment, personnel resources, and materials for the project. These include Cerealus Holdings of Waterville ME, Hogenkamp Research, Inc. of Gulfbreeze, FL, Honeywell Process Solutions of Westbrook ME, OsiSoft, Inc. of San Leandro CA, Results Engineering of Saco ME, Fraser Papers, Mead Westvaco, Sappi Fine Paper, Verso Paper, and Zeomatrix, LLC of Orono, ME. We are also indebted to the citizens of Maine who supported the bond issue that funded the Maine Technology Asset Fund.
The Infrastructure Improvement Project will be accomplished in two years across four milestones that will procure and commission: 1) Bleaching and Oxygen Delignification Pilot Equipment, Instrumentation, Chemical and Coating Preparation, Digester, Material Handling, and Support Equipment Improvements; 2) a Process Control and Data Management System; 3) a New Headbox and Controls; and 4) a New Pilot Web Coater.
The Maine Technology Institute (MTI) has also selected four other University of Maine projects to receive a total of $6.8 million from the Maine Technology Asset Fund. Gov. John Baldacci announced a total of 16 awards.