Aurora Cannabis announced an update on the status of Aurora Sun, the company’s latest and largest Sky Class facility, which is currently under construction in Medicine Hat, Alberta. "To support rapidly growing global demand for high-quality medical cannabis in Canada and abroad, the facility will be expanded to 1.62 million square feet, representing a 33% increase from its originally planned 1.2 million square feet. With the Sky Class production philosophy proven at Aurora Sky, the company is confident in projecting an expected production capacity at Aurora Sun in excess of 230,000 kg of high-quality cannabis per annum", the company explains.
Aurora says their Sky Class facilities are the most technologically advanced in the world. According to the company they are not greenhouses, but, indoor cannabis grow facilities that create optimal growing conditions for cannabis. "A sophisticated glass roof, rainwater and snow melt recapture system, and a high-level of technology and automation give Aurora full control over all anticipated environmental and harvest conditions, resulting in the production of consistently high yielding, high-quality cannabis at low-cost", they explain.
Expansion in the Netherlands?
And today there's more news about the Canadian company. Awaiting the Dutch tender procedure, which will start at the end of April, the company has purchased a building in Wageningen, Netherlands.
Currently only Dutch company Bedrocan has a license to grow medicinal cannabis in the Netherlands. This license expires and therefore a tender procedure was started last summer. After criticism from international interested parties that this tender was awarded to the current Dutch licensee, that procedure was suspended.
Today the rules for the new closed chain experiment for the Dutch recreational market have also become public. No more than ten Dutch growers are to get a license for growing cannabis for the recreational market. This is way the government wants to experiment with legalizing the cannabis market.
In the Netherlands the use of recreational cannabis is not legalized, but it is tolerated, meaning that there is no active law enforcement against it. In coffee shops cannabis can be sold to consumers. However, growing cannabis is illegal, as is selling it to the coffee shops. Many municipalities have spoken out against these rules.
Aurora Sun Facility Highlights
The company takes care of pointing out the highlights of the newly upgraded Aurora Sun facility. "There are 37 growing rooms, each at 32,500 square feet", the company explains. "At full operation, there will be more than 1,000,000 plants in various stages of growth in the facility at any given time. It has an increased automation through next generation robotic shuttles to mobilize benches, increasing operational speed and facility efficiency, while allowing for multiple product streams simultaneously.
"In addition to that, it has an expanded and upgraded facility automation systems for cloning and production, further lowering anticipated production costs. A next generation, low maintenance climate management system for superior plant health, yield and cannabinoid potency. An upgraded weather readiness design to drive even greater operating efficiencies. Additional energy efficiency/energy management via improved implementation of thermal screens."
"Moreover, it boasts an improved GMP/GACP segregation between grow, harvest, and post-production to facilitate faster and most efficient work flow. A higher throughput post-harvesting systems, including drying systems, to reduce product time to market."
The company also points out that "Ground work at the facility is nearing completion, erection of the steel structure is advancing and installation of the glass at Sun is expected to be completed in May 2019. Like Aurora Sky, Health Canada licensing requests have determined that rooms will be available for planting before the entire facility is completed."
For more information:
Aurora
P.O. Box 209
Cremona, AB. T0M0R0
1-844-928-7672
auroramj.com