Highland Pellets plans 500,000 t/y facility in Arkansas

Highland Pellets, a private development group which builds industrial wood pellet plants in the US Southeast and upper Midwest regions, announced the building of a 500,000 tonne per year wood pellet facility in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

The $130 million (€98.5 million) plant will create over 35 direct jobs and a further 482 indirect jobs.

Highland Pellets Chairman Tom Reilley says the plant 'is the first built under the Highland brand. Together with our leadership team who are veterans of Cargill, Black River, JP Morgan and EnerNOC, we are excited to complete our Pine Bluff facility and expand our footprint'.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County worked closely with Highland Pellets on this project. Alliance President Lou Ann Nisbett adds: 'We are elated that Highland Pellets has chosen Pine Bluff for this major new operation.'

Highland Pellets is working with industry partners including a forestry company to provide sustainable fibre feedstock and Cooper/Consolidated for the management of the logistics supply chain for export.

Ground breaking is expected to commence in October and deliveries from the plant to begin March 2016.