Launch of the NALS/MATTER’s Seawise Biopolymer Processing Lab

Advancing clean‐tech packaging through research–industry partnership

MATTER is proud to announce the official launch of the Seawise Biopolymer Processing Lab—UNBC’s first facility dedicated to the development and scale-up of plant-based polymers for sustainable thermal packaging.

Why this lab matters

State-of-the-art capability: A generous equipment gift from Brown’s Bay Packing Company Ltd. (Seawise Innovative Packaging)—including a twin-screw extruder—has enabled in-house compounding, extrusion and prototyping of biodegradable and recyclable foams that can replace conventional EPS.
From prototype to product: Building on an initial proof-of-concept created at MATTER, the new lab will accelerate pilot production and performance testing, turning Thermoloc—our hybrid cold-chain shipper—into a commercially viable option for seafood, agriculture and pharmaceutical logistics.
Collaborative impact: The project is powered by a $300 000 Innovate BC Ignite Award and more than $1.2 million in combined cash and in-kind support from Seawise, NSERC, Mitacs and the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund—showcasing the strength of university–industry partnerships in driving low-carbon innovation.

A milestone visit

To mark the launch, B.C. Minister of State for Trade Rick Glumac toured the facility, meeting with PI Dr. Hossein Kazemian and the Seawise team to see first-hand how the new equipment and MATTER’s porous-materials expertise are converging to create next-generation packaging solutions.

In the media

CBC News recently featured the lab’s journey and future ambitions in an interview with Seawise CEO Jesse Knight and NALS Director Dr. Kazemian. Watch the segment and read the full story →

Looking ahead

With scale-up trials underway, our goal is to deliver fully compostable, high-performance packaging that supports circular-economy jobs in B.C. and beyond. We are grateful for the vision and commitment of:

Seawise Innovative Packaging – lead industrial partner & equipment donor
Innovate BC – Ignite Award funding
NSERC & Mitacs – strategic research and talent support
BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund – pilot-scale infrastructure

Thank you to every student, researcher and partner who is turning fundamental materials science into tangible climate-action technology. Stay tuned for progress updates—and reach out to hossein.kazemian@unbc.ca for collaboration opportunities.

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