Canada’s Kruger Products has announced a $25m artificial intelligence (AI) project will be installed at its Sherbrooke, QC, tissue plant.
The investment will implement a digital twin of the site’s supply chain using real-time data augmented with AI capabilities to boost the plant’s operational efficiency.
Sherbrooke is equipped with Canada’s largest and most advanced TAD tissue machine, which is supported by AI-ready systems and infrastructure.
By leveraging AI, Kruger Products said it will be able to optimise its entire supply chain, from the procurement of raw materials to customer delivery.
It will also pave the way for a future roll out across Kruger Products’ manufacturing infrastructure.
Dino Bianco, Chief Executive of Kruger Products, said: “After investing $575m to build the most advanced tissue plant in Canada, Kruger Products is proud to push innovation even further with this $25M ground-breaking AI project, bringing total investments to $600m for the plant.
“Using AI to boost efficiency will also improve our overall performance in terms of sustainability and help us serve our customers and consumers even more efficiently.”
The company said that the use of AI will result in improvements across the supply chain, from raw material procurement to production planning, equipment maintenance, logistics and risk management.
It added that other benefits include a better environmental footprint due to lower GHG emissions, increased energy efficiency and reduced waste.
