PRESS RELEASE
The CTT Group, a Canadian Technology Transfer Centre Specializing in Technical Textiles and Advanced Materials, Commits to the EVO2030 Integrated Sustainable development Initiative
Saint-Hyacinthe (Quebec), November 15, 2021 – The CTT Group, a college technology transfer centre specializing in technical textiles and advanced materials, will participate in the EVO2030 Program with the aim of reducing its environmental footprint and thereby contributing to the achievement of the 17 key Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations (UN).
“We are proud to take part in this initiative, through which we will analyze our overall activities and their impacts, conduct a review and define a vision and action plan focused on environmentally friendly solutions. The methods, tools and performance indicators developed as a result of this process will enable us to support the R&D projects of companies within the sector in a sustainable manner,” stated Valerio Izquierdo, Vice-President, Business Development and Partnerships, CTT Group.
The CTT Group team, comprised of 50 researchers, engineers and textile material technicians, intends to proactively leverage its creativity and capacity for innovation in order to, for example, favour local procurement, promote bio-sourced raw materials, efficiently manage waste materials and reduce energy consumption.
“All the actions to be implemented will be part of a continuous improvement process that will enable us to better understand how to integrate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals within the industry and fully identify the issues faced by manufacturers on a daily basis, in order to better support their projects,” explains Mr. Izquierdo.
Stedfast, a global leader in the development of technical textile coating and lamination technologies for over 90 years, has already begun mobilizing its teams with a view to implementing the EVO2030 Program within the company. An ISO 14001 certification holder, Stedfast has taken part in a sustainable development initiative before. Earlier in 2021, it acquired a $3-million regenerative thermal system that enables it to heat its facilities, increase its energy efficiency and reduce its ecological footprint all at once.
“The timing is ideal. The industry is booming and undergoing a rapid transformation. Environmental, social and economic factors are among the core pillars on which leaders depend to maintain their companies’ growth. The adoption of eco-friendly practices and a clear vision with respect to sustainable development will help enhance the Quebec textile sector’s competitivity and promote its growth both domestically and internationally,” stated Dany Charest, General Manager, TechniTextile Québec, the Technical Textile Materials Cluster.
About the CTT Group
The CTT Group supports the growth of companies in the textile industry and geosynthetics through technical services, research and development, and expertise in product innovation and improvement. It therefore contributes to the development of a constantly evolving industry by serving as an essential driver of innovation and plays a strategic role in workforce renewal.
Its team of 50 professionals focuses on seven key research areas, notably including smart technical textiles, textile chemistry, composite preforms, geosynthetics, eco-textiles and processes, and the Arctic climate. The organization offers a wide range of technical training as well as technical laboratory services, including dynamometry, chemical testing, flammability, physical measurement, behaviour in water and special tests. It also offers expertise in defect analysis.
About TechniTextile Québec
TechniTextile Québec, a cluster of excellence created in 2017, brings together all the industrial, technical, scientific and government stakeholders involved in Quebec’s technical textile materials value chain. An initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s ACCORD program, this hub of expertise seeks to promote the industry’s sustainable development.
About Stedfast
Stedfast has been a global leader in the development of technical textile coating and lamination techniques for over 90 years. The family-run business invests continuously in upgrading its facilities and manufacturing equipment as well as in research and development activities at its two main sites: the head office in Granby, Quebec, and the plant in Johnson City, Tennessee. Stedfast products aim to ensure the safety of workers in the medical and industrial sectors, in addition to national defense and emergency response personnel. During the past year, Stedfast therefore produced antibacterial fabrics that were used to create thousands of protective garments for care workers in Quebec.
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For more information:
Nancy German
Primacom
514-924-4445
nancygerman@primacom.ca