Canada Fibers introduces Urban Resource Group

Canada Fibers Ltd. of Toronto has introduced its affiliate company, Urban Resource Group Inc., which will focus on producing what the company says are high-quality products from solid waste. Canada Fibers’ solid waste recovery operations include four material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Ontario and two large commercial recovery facilities.

Canada Fibers' Urban Polymers recently began operations. It will initially produce PET flake and PE and PP pellets.

Urban Resource Group has entered into agreements to acquire three companies, which will expand the portfolio of products and services available to Canada Fibers’ growing customer base, Canada Fibers reports. Urban Resource Group recently entered into agreements to purchase Ecowood Ltd. and All Waste Removal Inc. Both of these purchases are expected to close during July 2015, according to the company. The third acquisition involves the assets of a manufacturer of wooden fuel pellets, which was completed earlier this year.

Ecowood produces and sells architectural garden mulch products from postindustrial wood. Sold through leading home-improvement retail chains as well as through garden centers, Ecowood’s products are well-known across Canada. Over time, Ecowood will be rebranded Urban Garden Products, according to Canada Fibers.

All Waste provides waste management services to industrial, commercial and institutional organizations and will play an important role in obtaining materials for Canada Fibers recovery and recycling business units. All Waste has begun the process of rebranding its activities as Urban Waste Recycling.

The wooden fuel pellet operation Canada Fibers acquired earlier this year produces wooden fuel pellets from postindustrial wood materials. This product line will be sold through leading home-improvement chain stores in Canada was well as through distributors in the USA. Over time, these products will be branded Urban Biofuels.

“Creation of Urban Resource Group represents another bold step for Canada Fibers,” says Canada Fibers CEO Joe Miranda. “Our expanding group is increasingly positioned to provide complete and creative solutions for its customers. We continue to explore ways that we can help our customers derive value from their discarded products.”

In December 2014, Mark Badger joined Canada Fibers to drive strategic growth initiatives. He has served in several senior executive roles within the North American plastics and chemical industries, with a focus on growth through new product introductions, geographic expansion and technology development.

Badger says Canada Fibers “is well-equipped to mine urban resources to provide its customers with enhanced profitability and sustainability.”

Canada Fibers also recently introduced a waste audit and advisory practice for its customers. The audit practice will provide scorecards for these customers to help them show their stakeholders the progress they are making in terms of sustainable operations.

Additionally, this spring Canada Fibers introduced Urban Polymers, which produces homogeneous plastic raw materials from postindustrial and postconsumer plastic scrap. Initially, Urban Polymers will focus on creating pure polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flake from postconsumer beverage bottles and highly formulated polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) compounds in pellet form from postconsumer and postindustrial scrap.

Urban Polymers has created more than 20 jobs since its formation this spring, according to Canada Fibers.