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Author: Chris Chodan

Media Contacts: Chris Chodan, EIA (c: 780 700 3596/cchodan@flyeia.com) & Chenghsun Hsu, Plant Plus (t: 604 754 2099/alfie@plant-plus.com)

New plant-based manufacturer sets up at EIA

Posted in Food and Agriculture.

Plant Plus to manufacture plant fibre products in Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre
Sugarcane fiber straw

June 24, 2020 (Edmonton, AB) – More private investment is coming to Edmonton International Airport (EIA) in 2020. Manufacturing company Plant Plus will be establishing their production line in the Edmonton Metro Region as the newest tenant in EIA’s Airport City beginning in early July.


Plant Plus’ Plant Fiber Polymer tech (PFP tech) products are made from natural plant materials and have been shown by various third-party laboratories not to contain or release toxins. They are reusable, recyclable, compostable alternatives to plastic or paper.

“We are excited and proud to join EIA’s business family! It’s a great opportunity to have a strong business partner to support us in our early stages. The goal of introducing integrated plant fiber 2 technology into Canada will finally be achieved, and it will contribute into EIA-AATC’s green system for a better and sustained economic cycle.”

 – Chenghsun Hsu, CEO & Founder of Plant Plus.

“It’s great to see our competitive tax rates, talented workforce and focus on economic diversification attract more private investment to Alberta. This investment is part of our $1.4 billion value-added agriculture investment attraction goal that is slated to create over 2000 new Alberta jobs. I congratulate Plant Plus for choosing to invest in our agriculture sector and to help strengthen Alberta’s economy.”

– Honourable Devin Dreeshen, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.


By locating their production line and distribution centre at EIA and joining the Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre (AATC), Plant Plus will be able to participate in more collaborative opportunities with partner companies on airport and with EIA’s regional commercial partners. This strategic move will allow Plant Plus to introduce their advanced plant fibre technology into Canada. This move will also help strengthen EIA’s strategic efforts to help diversify Alberta’s and the rest of western Canada’s economy, while expanding economic activity at the airport.

Plant Plus utilizes both renewable materials and recycling from agricultural waste. The company produces single use items, like sugarcane straw production, and will provide services for customized products such as reusable cups, mobile phone cases, flower pots, furniture, building materials etc., with an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, which provides recovery of damaged products and recycling of renewable materials. The net results of their efforts are:
• added value for agricultural industry, by creating additional byproducts
• reduced carbon emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing and shipping, by extending product life cycle, track carbon footprint.
• reduced plastic waste away from landfill and environment.


The Plant Plus team’s products are an innovative solution to the plastic waste problem; a reusable, readily recyclable, and truly compostable alternative to reduce and hopefully remove the use of conventional plastic in a different way. Their most important feature is to recycle products and achieve a circular economy, not just change the materials or extend a product’s service life. By producing a single-use, recyclable product, Plant Plus can help the environment and provide additional benefits. For example, single use items prevent the spread of disease or viruses, help disabled people and have medical uses, all without any worry about the products being damaged or needing to be cleaned. Plant fibre products can function the same way as the plastic products they replace, ensuring that the impact to the user is minimal. The simple answer for the plastic waste problem is that single use items should be compostable, and reusable items should include an EPR program.

“Our region is increasingly known for innovation. Plant Plus’ decision to locate its production and distribution facility at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) will not only benefit our local economy, it will provide a whole new set of sustainable packaging options for the agriculture industry, for health and life sciences, and for a myriad of use-cases that I’m sure we’ll see spring up across the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. EIA has established itself as the core hub for international cargo and Plant Plus is about to make our region’s importance to the global supply chain even more clear. Well done and welcome to your new home!”

 – Malcolm Bruce, Edmonton Global CEO.

“This is a perfect example of how Airport City and the AATC work. Plant Plus will import materials and build technology which will increase the production of agricultural products for export from North America.”

– Tom Ruth, EIA President and CEO.

About Plant Plus

Gallop is the brand owner of Plant Plus, which carries true, eco-friendly food and beverage packaging products made by innovative material technology. Since it was founded in 2018, Gallop has been selling Plant Plus straws in North America. For more information visit: https://plant-plus.com/

About Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is a self-funded, not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to drive economic prosperity for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. EIA is Canada’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the largest major Canadian Airport by land area. For more information please visit flyeia.com, or follow @flyeia on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook.

EIA setting records with cargo charter flights

Posted in Media.

Two of the three Antonov AN-124 planes expected at EIA arrived late on Friday, May 29. (Credit to Edmonton International Airport)

Multiple flights, three Antonov
AN-124 planes handled in one day

May 30, 2020 (Edmonton, AB) – Edmonton International Airport is a hub of activity this weekend with the arrival of multiple cargo-related charter flights, helping set new records for this service and providing needed revenue.

Cargo charter flights are unique flights that are contracted specifically for dedicated cargo, beyond what would normally be transported in the underside of regular passenger flights or scheduled freighter services. With the substantially reduced flight schedules due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cargo charters continue enabling the movement of critical goods. In the first quarter of 2020, total cargo volumes at EIA were up seven per cent compared to Q1 in 2019.

This tremendous bright spot for EIA will be highlighted by the arrival of three Antonov AN-124 planes within 24 hours. The Antonov-124 is one of the largest planes in the world, surpassed only by the Antonov AN-225 and a small group of specialty transport planes. These AN-124 planes will be parked at multiple aprons at EIA as they require complex logistical operations and need large maneuvering and handling areas for safety.

“Our cargo team has been working flat out during this time of crisis to secure flights for EIA and help put our vast cargo infrastructure to good use for our community and region to keep supply chains moving. We’ve never hosted three Antonov flights in such a compressed period and we’re proud of how our entire cargo community has risen to this challenge. EIA offers several competitive advantages for cargo delivery including being the closest major North American airport to Asia via circumpolar routes, as well as close access to rail and trucking distribution systems.”

  • Tom Ruth, President and CEO, Edmonton International Airport

“We’re pleased to work with Edmonton International Airport. Their cargo team has gone above and beyond to facilitate our needs for our clients and ensure our flights are handled professionally with all essential security procedures needed and on time. We appreciate professional assistance provided ensuring on time performance for our charters carrying vital PPE cargo.”

  • Ekaterina Andreeva, Commercial Director Charter Cargo Operations, Volga-Dnepr Airlines operator of the Antonov flights

Due to client confidentiality, the exact manifest, details and volumes of each cargo plane cannot be released. Many of the cargo charters have been dedicated to medical personal protective equipment but there has also been an increase in e-commerce deliveries associated with more online shopping. Flights have been coming from multiple parts of the world including Asia, the United States and Europe. In the coming weeks more cargo charter flights are currently scheduled to arrive at EIA, showing continual demand for this service.

“We look forward to welcoming back more passengers in the future but until that time cargo flights are bringing needed traffic and activity to EIA and the entire Edmonton region. We plan to keep building on the relationships we’re establishing for many years to come, to the benefit of our entire region.”

  • Tom Ruth, President and CEO, Edmonton International Airport

Facts about the Antonov-124

  • Aircraft weight – 402 tonnes
  • Lift capacity – 150 tonnes or roughly 23 African elephants
  • Dimensions
    • Length – 69.1m
    • Height – 20.8m
    • Wingspan – 73.3m
  • Speed
    • Top speed 865 kmph
    • Cruise speed 800 – 850 kmph
  • Range – up to 5,000km (depending on cargo weight)
  • Number of aircraft worldwide – 55
  • Country of manufacture – Ukraine and Russia

About Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is a self-funded, not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to drive economic prosperity for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. EIA is Canada’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the largest major Canadian airport by land area. EIA offers non-stop connections to destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. EIA is a major economic driver, with an economic output of over $3.2 billion, supporting over 26,000 jobs. EIA’s Airport City propels new jobs, tourism and economic diversification – and creates a destination in and around EIA, featuring entertainment, e-commerce, retail, hospitality, cargo/logistics, bio-pharma, light manufacturing and many other industries. EIA is focused on digital strategy to ensure it becomes the airport of the future. For more information, please visit: flyeia.com, follow @flyeia on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin or Facebook.

About Volga-Dnepr Group

Volga-Dnepr Group is the world leader in the unique, oversize and heavy cargo market, successfully representing the Russian airfreight industry in the international market since 1990. The Group’s core businesses are charter cargo operations using unique AN-124-100 and IL-76TD-90VD heavy transporters (Volga-Dnepr Airlines) and scheduled cargo operations using the fleet of Boeing 747 (AirBridge Cargo Airlines) and Boeing 737 (Atran Airlines) freighters.

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