Aspen Wood Products Opens New Regional Pellet Mill

Seeking to add value to residuals from two processing facilities, Aspen Wood Products is opening a new fuel pellet and animal bedding pellet mill at its headquarters in Mancos, Colo., where the company operates an aspen excelsior plant and also produces firewood, shavings and bark. A sister company, Aspen Wall Wood in Dolores, Colo., produces paneling and specialty lumber.

The new $2 million plant is projected to produce fuel pellets for local and regional markets. Raw materials will come from residuals at the paneling plant and excelsior plant and also from some chipped and dried wood. The new pellet mill, operating as Mesa Verde Pellets, is running three Colorado Mill Equipment pellet machines. Most of the raw materials will initially originate in the local San Juan National Forest.