The Covid-19 pandemic has not brought Yava’s progress to a halt, but instead provided a pause during which we could refresh ourselves and reflect on how to move forward with our projects under these new conditions. I’m delighted to report that to-date none of Yava’s team members have been infected by the coronavirus. I’m also happy to report that this pandemic has only slowed, not halted our progress. Our research facilities in Sydney, Nova Scotia are back in full operation, adhering to new Covid-19 safety protocols to protect our team members.
We’re excited to announce that we have decided to locate our demonstration facility and initial commercial scale plants to produce High Purity Alumina (HPA) at the industrial park in Bécancour, Quebec, about 100 miles from Montreal on the St. Lawrence Seaway. This site provides many advantages, including expansion options, low cost electricity and convenient rail and highway access. Design engineering for this project has progressed during the past few months of Covid-19 quarantine. We now expect to begin construction in early 2021.
We have launched a marketing effort to introduce Yava as an emerging supplier of high Purity Alumina (99.99+% Al2O3) to customers throughout North America and beyond. Forecasts continue to predict a shortfall in supply of these products as demand for HPA in LEDs, battery separators and sapphire glass continue to grow at double-digit annual rates.
Thanks for your continuing interest in and support for Yava,
Bob Pepper
President and CEO