A2
APOLOGY ALONE NOT ENOUGH, SAYS FORMER RED DEER MOUNTIE
B1
2016 D6 C1
TIGERS FEAST ON REBELS
MAD FOREST TELLS THE STORY OF REVOLUTION
S A T U R D A Y
O C T .
8
NOTHING IS CERTAIN EXCEPT DEATH AND TAXES
C4
$1.25
2 0 1 6
www.reddeeradvocate.com
Economy going
NOVA
BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF In a gloomy economic climate, Nova Chemicals has been an economic bright spot. The petrochemical giant spent $1 billion on its latest venture, adding a third world-scale polyethylene reactor to its Polyethylene 1 (PE1) plant. For the company, the expansion establishes its credentials as a cutting-edge polyethylene producer in a competitive international field. Production will be boosted by 40 per cent to 3.5 billion pounds of polyethylene a year. For Alberta and, specifically Central Alberta, Nova Chemical’s polyethylene ambitions have provided a much-appreciated economic windfall. Forty to 60 per cent of the project’s capital costs stayed in Alberta. Primary contractor Ledcor alone, spent about $160 million in salaries. More than $30 million was spent locally on concrete, building supplies, equipment rentals, electrical and concrete accessories, fuel and site services. The 280-tonne reactor, that forms the heart of the expansion was manufactured by Tofield’s KNM Process Group Inc. “It was really good to see pieces of equipment like that built right in Alberta,” says Joffre site leader Rick Van Hemmen.
“There’s been a lot of focus locally as well in terms of what was spent local this project,” Van Hemmen says. About 35 per cent of Ledcor’s workforce, on average, was sourced locally. About two million person hours of labour — the equivalent of a year’s worth of full-time work for 1,000 people — went into construction. It has taken more than three years to get to the commissioning stage. A workforce that peaked at 800 has strung enough wiring to reach the Montana border. There is enough piping to reach Innisfail. When the plant is up and running about 60 full-time jobs will be created, roughly split between Nova and contractors. Final systems testing is now underway and the first production batches of tiny white polyethylene pellets will be spit out next month. Over the next few months, production will be gradually ramped up to its target one billion pounds per year through next year. Pellets produced will be loaded onto railcars and transported to markets across North America. Percentages vary, but typically 60 to 80 per cent of the polyethylene remains in North America. Of that, 10 to 20 per cent stays in Canada. The rest is sold internationally, mostly to Asia.
RED DEER WEATHER
INDEX NEWS A2-A6, A8, B5 SPORTS B1-B4 COMICS B6
Please see NOVA on Page A2
Contributed photos
TOP: Nova Chemicals spent $1 billion on its latest venture, adding a third worldscale polyethylene reactor to its Polyethylene 1 (PE1) plant. ABOVE: NOVA Chemicals employees Ron Embury (left) and Mark Kryczka on the PE1 Expansion Project site.
LOTTERIES
Local Today
Tonight
Sunday
Monday
30% Flurries
30% Flurries
Snow
Sunny
FOCUS C4-C5 HOMES D1-D6 CLASSIFIED D7-D8
LOTTO MAX: 8, 9, 12, 24, 29, 36, 37, Bonus 17 WESTERN MAX: 12, 18, 19, 24,
BUSINESS B7-B8 ENTERTAINMENT C1
FRIDAY
31, 32, 42, Bonus 2
1°
-1°
3°
5°
EXTRA: 6188287 PICK 3: 111 Numbers are unofficial.
PLEASE
RECYCLE