VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Launched today, Innovate BC’s new digital platform supports B.C. entrepreneurs in developing their understanding of intellectual property (IP) to support the building and implementing of an effective IP strategy to help grow their business.

Developed as part of the Province of British Columbia’s , the free-to-use IP Hub offers a tailored experience that will connect users with information and resources based on an assessment of their current IP competency.

“B.C.’s Intellectual Property Strategy is about supporting our local businesses by giving them the tools they need to protect, grow and profit from what they create,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “The launch of the IP Hub is a key part of that—helping entrepreneurs, researchers, startups and our high potential businesses fully understand their IP, scale their businesses, and keep their talent right here at home in British Columbia.”

The strategic management of IP is essential for companies developing innovative products or solutions, playing a crucial role in commercialization, increasing revenue, and competitiveness. The IP Hub offers relevant and timely resources that meet the user’s current level of IP comprehension and will provide them with ongoing support to build, implement and expand their own IP strategy.

Once assessed, users will have access to a wide range of supports that are available within B.C. and across Canada, aligned to their business stage, sector, size, and other characteristics that inform IP strategy. Resources include access to localized IP programming, a calendar of relevant and upcoming IP-focussed events, education materials, and more.

“Having a clear and proactive intellectual property strategy isn’t just a competitive advantage — it’s a necessity,” said Peter Cowan, President and CEO of Innovate BC. “For innovators and tech companies, IP is often their most valuable asset, protecting innovation, attracting investment, and enabling growth. By bolstering IP capacities here in British Columbia, we’re empowering our startups and scale-ups to thrive, strengthening our innovation ecosystem, and unlocking long-term economic prosperity for communities and industries across the province.”

The IP Hub is a part of Innovate BC’s suite of IP programs and resources for B.C. companies, which includes AccelerateIP, a program delivered by New Ventures BC that provides innovators with IP-related education, funding, and strategy development.

To learn more about the IP Hub and to access the platform, visit

SURREY, BC, April 24, 2025 /CNW/ - Did you know that more than 90% of tree nuts processed in Canada are deep fried? Deep frying, a method used for foods ranging from potato chips to chicken, significantly reduces nutritional value. The process often results in a substantial, or even complete, loss of nutrients. Furthermore, the cooking oils themselves are absorbed by the food, adding to its fat content and making it far from heart-healthy.

People have good reasons for wanting to cook nuts. Raw nuts can pose some health risks, primarily due to potential bacterial contamination like salmonella, and the presence of toxins like aflatoxin. Additionally, raw nuts may contain higher levels of compounds that can be hard to digest. What the general public doesn't know is how the nut processing industry has chosen to cook nuts, and why they like doing things this way. That's where the deep fryer comes in.

Industrial nut processing facilities typically take raw nuts and drop them into a long vat of heated oil. The nuts bubble along and in six to eight minutes are said to be 'roasted'. The deep fryer might be the quickest and the cheapest way to get to 'roasted', but it's not the only way. Tree nuts can also be dry roasted. Dry roasting is oil free and done in what is essentially a big rolling oven where hot air is used for cooking instead of harmful oils. This makes the nuts and seeds healthier, tastier, and crunchier than deep fried versions. Dry roasting nuts takes nearly ten times longer, around sixty minutes, and uses more energy, which speaks to why very few processors choose to do it. In an industry where margins are razor thin, everyone is looking for ways to save on costs.

Here are a few of the benefits people can expect from choosing dry roasted nuts over deep fried alternatives:

• Better nutrient retention - Deep frying could degrade vitamins and antioxidants in nuts, dry roasting helps preserve natural nutrients.
• No trans fats - Some deep frying oils contain trans fats, which are linked to heart disease and inflammation. Dry roasting eliminates this risk.
• Crunchy not greasy - Dry roasting gives nuts a satisfying crunch rich in fibre and protein, without oily residue.
• Better flavour - Dry roasting enhances natural nutty flavours, without the added oil, while deep frying can alter the taste.
• Longer shelf life - Deep fried nuts may go rancid faster due to the added oil. Dry roasted nuts tend to have a longer shelf life.
• Easier to digest - Excessive oil from deep frying can be harder on digestion, dry roasted nuts are easier on the stomach.

A company from Surrey, BC, Canada has picked up on this emerging trend. "We're thrilled to share that our entire product line will be dry roasted by April 2025. This commitment to dry roasting sets us apart from competitors, delivering a healthier snack with no trans fats and a noticeably superior taste and crunch."

Laid Back Snacks can be found in grocery stores nationwide, retailers, hotels, foodservice locations, and offices. They also provide an online ordering service which means delivery is just a few clicks away. Customers personalize their order by selecting from 30+ delicious options at www.laidbacksnacks.com

BETHLEHEM, PA—The drive and tensioner wheels of FLEXI-DISC® Tubular Cable Conveyors are now equipped as standard with patented sprocket tips that can be replaced at up to 90 percent lower cost than one-piece sprockets, it was announced by David Boger, president of Flexicon Corp.

Each replaceable tip consists of two halves that bolt onto each spoke without the need to remove the sprocket, reducing downtime during maintenance.

The tips also form a pick-up face having greater surface area and seating stability than the contact patch of one-piece sprockets, significantly extending cable life by reducing contact pressure between the slug and the spoke.

Further, a wear indicator molded into the sprocket tip enables operators to determine when the tips are due for replacement, averting wheel damage and resulting damage to the cable-disc assembly.

Friction between the discs and relatively small number of sprocket spokes can result in spoke damage that, in turn, damages the costly cable-disc assembly. Both issues can now be avoided through preventative sprocket tip replacements at roughly 10 percent of one-piece sprocket replacement costs.

The new wheel design can be retrofitted to all previous models of FLEXI-DISC Tubular Cable Conveyors with no modification.

FLEXI-DISC Tubular Cable Conveyors gently slide bulk materials through stainless steel tubing using polymer discs attached to stainless steel cable. The conveyor is powered by a drive system that circulates the cable-disc assembly between two wheel housings at opposite ends of the circuit.

Flexicon also manufactures flexible screw conveyors, pneumatic conveying systems, bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag conditioners, bulk bag fillers, bag dump stations, drum/box/container dumpers, weigh batching and blending systems, and engineered plant-wide bulk handling systems with automated controls.

Contact Flexicon Corporation, 1-888-353-9426, sales@flexicon.com, www.flexicon.com

James Cropper, a global market leader in Paper & Packaging and Advanced Materials, has set new quality standards for recycled materials with the release of Rydal Eco, a revolutionary sustainable paper innovation.

Rydal Eco is an uncoated board, made entirely from recycled paper fibres, that performs like a coated board. It delivers a superb printing surface with whiteness levels equivalent to virgin fibre material. This provides sharper print, more vivid colours, cleaner die-cutting, and better registration when using finishing techniques such as varnishing and debossing – and all of this is achieved without felling a single new tree.

Designed with luxury goods in mind, Rydal Eco offers incredible versatility to both brands and converters. Its luxurious tactile feel makes it ideal for a wide range of applications, from cosmetics, and wines to fragrance packaging, while its precision-engineered converting characteristics mean it is compatible with diverse production techniques including lithography, silk screen printing, die stamping, laser cutting, foil blocking, and more.

Gareth Fisher, Sales Director at James Cropper hailed the launch, saying, “This is the latest step in our 180-year commitment to asking the question: ‘What if?’ In 1845, it was ‘what if we bought a mill?’ In 1921, it was ‘what if we installed a steam turbine to power our business and the surrounding village?’ And today, it’s ‘what if we combined the tactility of recycled fibre with the print and finishing quality of virgin fibre? What if uncoated paper could perform like coated paper?’ The answer to both of those questions is Rydal Eco, a transformative sustainable solution for converters.

“We’ve never been afraid to break new ground in the pursuit of excellence to ensure we deliver the highest quality materials to our customers. We’re not interested in business-as-usual materials. We want to make paper and moulded fibre better, raising the bar for the entire industry. We’re proud to be a company that asks, ‘what if?’ And we’ll continue to dream big and push the boundaries of paper production and materials.”

Rydal Eco is produced in alignment with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), supporting companies looking to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. Other products in the Rydal packaging collection make use of James Cropper’s CupCycling® technology, which upcycles used coffee cups into premium packaging, as part of the company’s mission to lead the way in sustainable material development. James Cropper is renowned for its innovative use of fibre recovered from used coffee cups, cup offcuts, worn denim, office waste, and other industrial sources.

To learn more about James Cropper and its legacy of paper-based innovation, visit www.jamescropper.com.