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
Sierra Pacific To Reinvest Big In New California Sawmill
Sierra Pacific Industries today announced it will rebuild its large-log sawmill located in the Plumas County city of Quincy, beginning in early 2014. The existing mill will be taken down and completely rebuilt to a more efficient configuration, according to an SPI...
Zeeland Lumber And Supply Unveils Plans To Expand In Northern Indiana
Zeeland Lumber Holdings, the parent company of Zeeland Lumber and Supply, announced it will open a new office, distribution center, lumberyard and manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Indiana. “Everyone here at Zeeland Lumber and Supply is excited to be expanding into...
Georgia-Pacific Engineered Lumber Signs Distribution Agreement With U.S. Lumber
Georgia-Pacific and U.S. Lumber have announced they are entering a distribution agreement for engineered wood products (EWP). The agreement, effective November 1, 2013, provides for U.S. Lumber to distribute Georgia-Pacific engineered lumber in Alabama, Arkansas,...
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.