Northeast Pellets in Ashland has emerged from a devastating fire in 2017 with new and larger buildings and a recently installed automation that has allowed the pellet manufacturer to add shifts and expand production.
The Aroostook County company makes heating pellets for residential, commercial and institutional use from organic bark-free mill residuals — sawdust, shavings and chips — produced during the lumber manufacturing process. By using the byproduct, the company said it doesn’t put added pressure on standing forests.
The company also recently announced that it is the first pellet manufacturer in Maine to receive Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody certification and one of the first heating pellet firms nationally to achieve the certification.