Biomass Energy Closes Wood Pellet Mill in Virginia

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Biomass Energy LLC (Bumpass, Virginia), a subsidiary of Ensign-Bickford Industries Incorporated (Simsbury, Connecticut), has closed its wood pellet manufacturing mill in Bumpass, Virginia.

Some 40 employees left their vehicles and walked toward the gate, only to find a sign saying the plant was closed, leaving the workers stunned and in disbelief.

The wood fuel pellet industry has been suffering of late, and the company cited financial reasons for the closure.

"Despite ramping up to industry-leading production and quality levels in this operation, the business has proved to be unsustainable financially," said Scott Deakin, the president and chief executive officer of Biomass Energy, in a prepared statement.

The mill originally was opened in March 2010 by WoodFuels Virginia, and Biomass Energy took over operations in November 2011. The mill has the capacity to produce 100,000 tons per year of fuel pellets.

The plant is located at 1376 Fredericks Hall Road in Bumpass, some 70 miles south of Arlington in Louisa County.

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