E-Pellets acquires Georgia mill for wood pellet production

E-Pellets Group LLC recently acquired the formally boarded up Louisiana Pacific OSB mill in Athens, Georgia, to convert it into a wood pellet production facility. The facility is expected to produce 450,000 metric tons annually by August 2015. The wood pellets will be exported to the European Union to be used as an alternative to coal as fuel in power plants.

The closed mill in Athens is not the only underperforming production facility E-Pellets has purchased in Georgia. Sega Biofuels LLC in Nahunta was purchased by the company to expand production volume to 150,000 metric tons. E-Pellets plans to continue this activity in the pellet industry. “We see an opportunity to be the largest Georgia-based producer of pellets, taking advantage of the state resources,” Easterlin said.

E-Pellets has a long-term port agreement with Georgia Kaolin Terminal Inc., which provides the company with the capacity to export up to 1.35 million metric tons per year of wood pellets through the port facility in Savannah, Georgia. All of the wood pellets are contracted to be sent to European power producers currently. However, Easterlin says E-Pellets is exploring within the U.S. as well. “We are exploring many opportunities including regional commercial applications and residential applications in addition to our current European Union distribution,” Easterlin said.

E-Pellets Group was formed through the combination of its existing wood pellet facility located in Nahunta with the acquisitions of the Athens facility. "E-Pellets is going to focus on executing its build-out program, and will evaluate developing other sites under option,” said newly appointed CEO Doug Albrecht in a statement.