A Smithers-based particle board plant will be redeveloped into a wood pellet production facility.
Pinnacle Renewable has announced that it will move forward with the Smithers Pellet Limited Partnership (SPLP) at the site of the former NewPro facility.
West Fraser Timber, which owns Pacific Inland Resources, holds a 30 per cent interest in the development while Pinnacle has a 70 per cent stake.
Officials say the facility will have a production capacity of 125,000 metric tons a year and is expected to start up between July and September of this year. Pellets would be shipped by rail to Pinnacle’s Westview Port Terminal in Prince Rupert for export.
The pellet plant and logging operations to supply pulp logs to the facility are expected to create approximately 30 jobs.