Saskatchewan-based agricultural clean-tech company Prairie Clean Enterprises (PCE) is setting up shop in Weyburn with the “world’s first” flax straw processing facility.
CEO Mark Cooper says construction on the leased facility, located at 54 Queen Street, is expected to start this month with equipment arriving in August and production starting by September. Cooper says the facility will make two products from flax straw: industrial-grade fibre and premium pellets for animal care and consumer use.
“It will be on average bringing in five tonnes per hour of flax straw and processing it through the facility, creating the two product lines,” Cooper said of its capabilities.
He says the processing plant is expected to bring over 30 full-time jobs to Weyburn and more than $3 million in annual wages into the local economy. In addition to direct economic benefits for Weyburn, Cooper says the facility will provide economic spin-off for the area.
“They’ll be contract work for balers, of course revenue for farmers who sell us their straw, contract work for truckers, they’ll be the construction jobs – all of which we hope will be handled by local contractors from the Weyburn community,” said Cooper.
A company news release says approximately 16-thousand tonnes of flax straw has been purchased in the past two years and will buy an additional 30-thousand tonnes from farmers from this year’s harvest.
With feedstock supply secured, equipment orders made, and strong buyer demand, the next step for PCE is to raise enough capital to make it all work. Cooper says they have a goal of $2 million and have raised $250 thousand at last count. Cooper hopes to have the funds raised by the end of this month or in early June. The funds, he says, will ensure they are fully operational for the first few months before revenue comes in.
Cooper expects the company to be thinking about where to expand next in one year’s time.
In the meantime, he noted the company joined the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce and looks forward to “being great community partners.”
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