Fruytier acquires pellet plant from ERDA

Fruytier, a Belgian sawmill company, has acquired Energies Renouvelables Des Ardennes’ (ERDA) pellet plant.

ERDA has reportedly been encountering financial difficulties for the last two years and in 2012 suffered losses of roughly €10 million.

Fruytier had until now been responsible for 55% - 60% of raw-material deliveries to ERDA.

Pierre Fruytier describes the takeover by ERDA as a vertical integration with which the further processing of chippings generated in the company’s own sawmills will be safeguarded.

Fruytier aims to invest around €3 million in the modernisation of the plant, which currently has an approximate annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes of pellets.

Plans include the servicing of the lines, the roofing-over of raw-material storage and the installation of a sacking line.

The pellet plant also features a biomass combined heating and power plant.