Maine Woods Pellet qualified under PFI Standards Program

The Pellet Fuels Institute recently announced the qualification of Maine Woods Pellet Co. of Athens, Maine, to the PFI Standards Program as the 25^th pellet manufacturer and 38^th facility qualified for the program. The PFI Standards Program is a third-party accreditation program providing specifications for residential and commercial-grade pellet fuel.

“It’s a significant milestone to welcome the 25^th pellet producer into our pellet fuels standards program,” said Chris Amey, chairman of the PFI board of directors. “It says a lot about the industry that so many producers, including Maine Woods Pellet Co., have put the time, effort and funding into confirming that their products continue to meet or exceed the high standards set by the program.”

In qualifying for the Standards Program, Maine Woods Pellet Co. joins companies with previously qualified facilities New England Wood Pellet, Curran Renewable Energy, American Wood Fibers, Lignetics Inc., Marth Peshtigo Pellet Co., Forest Energy Corp., Indeck Ladysmith, Energex, Spearfish Pellet Co., Smith Flooring, Michigan Wood Fuels LLC, Trae Fuels Ltd., Somerset Pellet Fuel, Northeast Wood Products, Georgia Biomass, Snow Timber Pellets, Colombo Energy, Appalachian Wood Pellets, Instantheat Wood Pellets, Fiber Energy Products, Biomaxx, Pacific Coast Pellets and Fiber By-Products.

“With every new qualification, consumers have better access to pellets that are produced in independently accredited facilities,” Amey continued. “The Quality Mark on the bag lets a consumer know that they are purchasing fuel from an independently evaluated pellet producer. If you’re not sure, ask your retailer about how to identify the Quality Mark on pellet bags. We look forward to many more PFI Standards Program members.”

PFI Standards Program participants can display the PFI Quality Mark on their pellet bags, signifying their qualification to the program requirements. This quality mark demonstrates to consumers that the product comes from a facility that submits its product to regular third party audits by an independent accredited auditing agency and testing laboratory. Random audits are regularly performed at production facilities to ensure qualified companies are following a quality control program. Wood pellets are tested according to the program specifications, also on a monthly basis. By taking these steps, participants ensure that their pellet quality remains consistent.

Maine Woods Pellet Co. was qualified by accredited auditing agency PFS Corp.. For information on qualifying for the program, the first step is to contact an accredited auditing agency, a list of which can be find on PFI’s website. For further details on the PFI Standards Program, including a list of participating manufacturers, visit the PFI website, www.pelletheat.org.