Case Study: Procan Labs on Staying in Your Lane – Building Using Old School Values

California presented a wild west opportunity when Prop 64 passed in November 2016. Procan Labs was built on old school values and has become the leading distillate provider in California by using old school business values and staying in their lane. Mark and his son Max will discuss their philosophy and how they have built a business despite all of the chaos around them.

Moderator – Chris Jones

License, Build and Grow: Security, Compliance and Buildout Considerations in Today’s Cannabis Market

Since legalization in October 2018 many cannabis businesses have emerged and participated in the Canadian green rush.  Some have succeeded and some haven’t.  There are still opportunities to start a cannabis business in a smart, efficient and sustainable way after establishing a business plan there are  security, compliance and build out or renovation considerations. Hear from some of the industry’s top experts in security, compliance and building experts from their experiences and knowledge how to prepare, things to consider and where there are opportunities to leverage new and existing regulatory pathways to still thrive. Join us for this engaging and interactive discussion.

 

Moderator – Jennifer van Dijk

Water is life – Sounds simple

In reality, however, some waters do very little to support life and can actually restrict growth.

We are going to explore what waters you should be using to maximize your yield while also minimizing your chem requirements, time, and water usage.

SFE Extraction Modelling: Why, How and What’s Next

How can one utilize data analytics and various in-process analytical tools to optimize extraction operations? Cannabis extraction at its current status is inefficient and uncontrolled, even if the artist tells you that they make the best s**t.

Aside from regulatory testing, there are a multitude of other analytical tools and testing points in the extraction value chain, where testing will offer a more comprehensive picture for the operator.

Even with all this data, little can be done to improve the extraction process. For this data science is need. From simple linear regressions, via multifactorial optimization, all the way to Machine Learning and AI, those tools become more important and slowly find their way onto the production floor.

We want to discuss the current problems and needs of a cannabis producer and present possible solutions that Machine Learning can bring.

Options For Product Purification

Extracting cannabis plants typically doesn’t end with crude oil. Many times, product manufacturers embark on post-extraction processing strategies intended to remove undesirable ingredients from extracts like plant waxes and chlorophyll, and to concentrate cannabinoids and terpenes into products like distillate, shatter, or vape carts. There are various options in the extractor’s toolbox for purifying products, including traditional methods like winterization and distillation, but several other technologies have come into the fray. Our panelists will help make sense of the pros and cons of these options, and what implementing a specific strategy today might mean for your business tomorrow.

 

Moderator – Dr. John MacKay

No More Ethanol, CO2 Winterization is Here!

The total cost of ownership of supercritical CO2 extraction is the least expensive and most environmentally sustainable methodology. However, one Achilles heel has been the cost of winterization afterwards for those looking to take extracts to distillates. Thar’s 2019 patented WinterFlow™ process removes the need for EtOH and distillation in many applications.

How the Notorious C.O.2. Became a Superhero

With increasingly polluted skies and seas, and mounting garbage piles on land, our Earth continues to cry “Uncle.” Relentless packaging waste and the over extraction and burning of fossil fuels offer glimpses into the Earth’s banshee wail. Burning fossil fuels creates greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and studies have demonstrated its contribution to rising, global temperatures. Thus, CO2 exemplifies a notorious environmental villain.

Due to its ostracization, CO2 comes very cheap. It can be captured from industrial processes or by giant machines that exemplify innovation meant to change the world. Once captured, it can be repurposed for greener applications. By manipulating its temperature and pressure, supercritical CO2 can be used for cleaning up soils, water, and removing organic contaminants from plastic waste so the garbage can be recycled. Repurposed CO2 can supplant toxic chemicals used for dry cleaning, for medical device sterilization, and botanical extraction and purification.

The villainous CO2 can also be used for supercritical fluid chromatography, or SFC. This technique can be used for analytical or preparatory purposes. In analytical SFC, sCO2 provides the mobile phase to enable analyte separation, replacing organic solvents like methanol and acetonitrile, both of which are health hazards that require remediation.

SFC provides a powerful method for product purification, whether for separation of enantiomers (mirror-image molecules) in a racemic drug, remediating THC from federally legal hemp products, or purifying individual terpenes from an essential oil.

As our Earth bakes and shudders, we can mitigate CO2 generation and reform captured CO2 for greater good. Nowhere is this more vital than in the soaring cannabis industry. Medicinal plant cultivation and product design should not further exploit our Earth.

Are you ESG aware?

Did you know that investors are increasingly using ESG to evaluate the future success of companies? Do you know what your ESG values and policies are?

Join Dr. Jon Thompson, Founder and CEO of extraktLAB, as he explains what Environmental, Social, and Governance policies actually are and how cannabis is leading the way as an example for other industries. In this talk you will learn how to articulate your company’s ESG policies, add new ones to your repertoire, and be a model for the Sustainable Cannabis Industry.

The Economics of Cannabis Extraction

Most people know that there are three dominant cannabis extraction techniques, including hydrocarbon, ethanol, and supercritical carbon dioxide. Often, though, discussions regarding these techniques solely focus on upfront equipment costs, without delving into the total cost of ownership overtime. As most extractors would no doubt want to thrive in the industry long term, having the complete picture for ancillary equipment costs, energy requirements, solvent storage and disposal, labor, safety controls, etc., are paramount for long-term success. This panel provides an unbiased, realistic portrait of the costs associated with cannabis extraction.
Moderator – Dr. John MacKay