Mr. Aitken is a seasoned global business leader, with strong experience in industrial-sized companies and extensive knowledge of the chemicals market. He has a successful track record in his various managerial responsibilities over the past decades with Methanex and previously with other companies.
Enerkem's proprietary waste-to-biofuels technology produces biomethanol as an intermediate for the production of ethanol. After a decade of rigorous technology development, Enerkem has emerged as a leading advanced biofuels company in North America. It has longstanding pilot and demo plants in operation, one full-scale commercial biorefinery currently under construction in Edmonton, Alberta, and another in an advanced development stage in Pontotoc, Mississippi.
"As the CEO of the world's largest supplier of methanol, Bruce will bring to Enerkem invaluable managerial experience as well as a strong industrial experience and knowledge of the chemicals market," said Vincent Chornet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enerkem. "We are honoured to have Bruce join our board of directors. His contribution will be instrumental, and timely, as Enerkem is leading the advanced biofuels market in North America with its first full-scale commercial plants."
"Enerkem has pioneered a waste-to-fuels and chemicals technology that offers a unique value proposition to the fuel, chemical and waste sectors," said Mr. Bruce Aitken, President and Chief Executive Officer of Methanex. "I look forward to collaborating with Enerkem's dynamic and visionary team and contributing to its evolution in the growing market of advanced fuels and green chemicals."
About Methanol
Methanol is a versatile chemical building block used in countless industrial and consumer products, including plastics and paints, building materials, and a variety of health and pharmaceutical products. Methanol is also used increasingly in energy applications such as direct blending into transportation fuels, dimethyl ether (DME) and biodiesel. The fastest growing markets for methanol are in the energy sector, which today represents about one third of global methanol demand.
About Enerkem
Enerkem is a leading waste-to-biofuels company. Its proprietary clean technology converts waste, such as unrecyclable household garbage, demolition debris and residues from used utility poles, into clean transportation fuels and advanced chemicals. Founded in 2000, the company currently operates two plants in Canada: a pilot facility in Sherbrooke, QC and a commercial demonstration plant in Westbury, QC. In August 2010, Enerkem started construction of its waste-to-biofuels plant in Edmonton, AB, Canada, which was awarded CAD$23 million in funding from the Government of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. The company is simultaneously developing a similar project in Mississippi, U.S.A., for which it was awarded US$50 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). www.enerkemweb.wpengine.com
Marie-Hélène Labrie
Vice-President, Government Affairs and Communications
Enerkem Inc.
514.875.0284 x 231
mlabrie@enerkem.com
