As part of National Engineering Month in Canada, we recognize Anik Paradis, CPI, Technical Advisor III—HYP, at our Témiscaming plant.
Anik’s interest in engineering began early, shaped by a strong aptitude for math and chemistry and an appreciation for structured problem-solving. In high school, she joined the STEM program 4e Dimension, where monthly design challenges required creativity, planning, and teamwork.
One defining project — a 10-step Rube Goldberg machine built from recycled materials to water a plant — placed in the top 10 among more than 50 teams. Through these hands-on challenges and annual timed competitions, Anik developed the ability to think critically under pressure and adjust quickly when conditions changed. Encouraged by mentors and teachers, she chose to pursue engineering.
Today, Anik supports mill operations by strengthening reliability, efficiency, and overall process performance. She troubleshoots complex issues, analyzes operating data, and works closely with operations and maintenance teams to implement practical solutions. She also contributes to trials and improvement initiatives focused on product quality and optimizing energy and chemical usage.
She is particularly proud of her role in the softwood BCTMP rolls project. Following the closure of the specialty cellulose mill in 2024, the Témiscaming site faced significant operational and community impacts. In response to market shifts, the team identified an opportunity to leverage existing assets to produce softwood BCTMP rolls. Anik led the high-yield portion of the project, coordinating trials, validating specifications, and overseeing critical testing phases.
The initiative demonstrated the site’s ability to mobilize quickly and execute across functions, transforming a challenging period into a viable business opportunity.
Anik’s work directly supports operational stability and long-term sustainability. By optimizing processes and applying data-driven insight, she helps reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and strengthen cost performance.
For future engineers, Anik underscores the importance of communication and curiosity. Technical expertise is essential, but strong outcomes depend on listening to operators and trades and translating insight into practical action.
To Anik, engineering excellence means delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective results through disciplined problem-solving and continuous improvement. Ultimately, success is measured by impact — when processes perform consistently and improvements last.
This National Engineering Month, we thank Anik for her leadership and commitment to operational performance.
