85,000-tonne wood pellet plant to open in New York

A $14.5 million (€9.9 million) wood pellet production plant is due to officially open on 9 June 2011 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Wood pellet manufacturer New England Wood Pellet owns the plant, which is based in Deposit, New York, US and has the capacity to manufacture 85,000 tonnes of wood pellets a year.

Construction of the plant was completed in April 2011. It was built on a site previously home to a wood-based panels factory. Owned by Norbord Industries, the plant closed in 2009.

According to New England Wood Pellet, the plant is the largest of its kind in the north-east of the US. The company's general manager Charlie Niebling went on to say the pellet will deliver wood pellets to New York, eastern Pennsylvania and northern parts of New Jersey.

New England Wood Pellet owns two additional wood pellet production facilities in Jaffrey, New Hampshire and in Schuyler, New York, bringing its total wood pellet production capacity to 250,000 tonnes a year.

CEO of the firm Steve Walker will be present at the ceremony, along with Senator John Bonacic, New York state assemblyman Cliff Crouch and Jim Thomson, Delaware County industrial development authority chair.