Cousineau Plans Rebuild After May Fire Damage

The owner of Cousineau Forest Products, Randy Cousineau, says the company is rebuilding after a late May fire at its wood processing facility in Henniker, NH. According to Cousineau, the fire caused $500,000 in damages at the plant that produces playground surfacing materials, biomass fuel, chips and bark mulch.

The facility has brought in mobile equipment to continue some operations during a rebuild that’s complicated by having to replace custom shredding equipment. News reports say the fire initially ripped through a building at the plant before spreading to a nearby treeline due to high winds.

The facility is a key regional market for loggers looking to sell low-grade wood, and is a major supplier of playground chips. The Cousineau family began operating a small sawmill in Strong, Me. in 1959 Randy Cousineau took over the business in 1973 from his parents and has since expanded it in Maine and into New Hampshire.