Drax Gets Satellite Pellet Plant Going
Drax Group is ramping up to full production at Leola—the first of three new satellite pellet plants it plans for Arkansas. Leola, in Grant County, is part of a $40 million investment by Drax in the state, creating approximately 30 new jobs across all the three sites planned for Arkansas as well as many more indirect jobs.
Including Leola, Drax operates six pellet plants in the U.S., which use biomass sourced from sustainably managed working forests in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. The three satellite plants in Arkansas are expected to produce a total of 120,000 tonnes of wood pellets per year from sawmill residues. This supports Drax’s plans to double its pellet production capacity to 8 million tonnes by 2030 to meet its own requirements, as well as its customers’ needs in Europe and Asia, amid an expected increase in global demand for the low-carbon fuel.
The satellite plants are located near sawmills, so they can use the sawdust and other byproducts. Construction of the second Arkansas satellite plant in Russellville, Pope County, is underway with commissioning expected this year. Drax is continuing to develop plans for a third plant.
The pellets produced at the new satellite plants will be transported to Bruce Oakley terminal in Little Rock, Ark. before being shipped south to Louisiana to oceangoing vessels. Each pellet plant is expected to produce 40kt per year.
Latest News
B.C. Invests $150M To Promote Lumber As Canada-U.S. Negotiations Continue
The provincial government is moving ahead with a new plan to "enhance the competitiveness" of B.C.'s forest industry at a time when Canada and the U.S. are still at loggerheads over reaching a new softwood lumber deal and the threat of U.S.-imposed trade action hangs...
Destination Portland
Through the years, Timber Processing has actively sought to serve key roles in the lumber industry: As the top information source for sawmill owners, managers, supervisors and others on the front lines of lumber production, TP provides exclusive coverage of new...
Oregon’s Hampton Lumber Acquires Banks Lumber Mill
Oregon’s Hampton Lumber Acquires Banks Lumber MillHampton Lumber has acquired the assets of the Banks Lumber Mill, just months after the Washington County mill had laid off its employees and ceased operations. Portland-based Hampton plans to upgrade the mill "to...
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.