machines were chosen for a few important reasons, one of them being their flexibility to make distinctive products. “This is because of the unique rotor direction of the machine,” he says. “The products we make vary from large two-foot wood strand to sawdust. We also like Peterson’s reliability and high production level.” Triple G supplies grindings to co-gen plants in the area, and they also can be used for “contaminate mix” on drilling rigs. Larger-sized ground material can be used for road and pad stability, and for frost retention on roads and leases. Its raw wood comes from old wood pallets and matting, mill byproduct and top piles. Toerper says his company did not get into grinding strictly to make a profit out of processing biomass. “We also wanted to prove that natural wood can be 100 per cent usable,” he says. “As public demand for utilization grows, the biomass industry is going to expand and improve to further protect our environment. The future looks promising for the industry as a whole.” exCel IN b.C.’s North At Excel Transportation Inc. in Prince George, B.C., future expansion and diversification of operations is in the works. In June, Excel purchased Pine Star Logging, a biomass grinding operation and former logging company for which Excel provided hauling services. Excel’s grinding operations supervisor (former manager at Pine Star Logging) is Keith Brandner. “Around 2008, Pacific Bioenergy called for more material,” he says, “and Pine Star put in a proposal and switched from logging to grinding pellet feedstock for them.” Brandner brings the technical expertise required to generate a high-quality fibre, which Pine Star was commended for. Brandner and his team operate a Bandit 3680 (700 hp), purchased in 2008. “We actually changed the teeth number to 30 instead of 60 and modified the machine so that we can turn the teeth,” Brandner explains. “Bandit came to see our changes and now offers them as factory options.” He says the modifications don’t work in every application, but they are very good for the production of pellet material. Brandner bought a Bandit because of the strength of the local dealership, and has found the machine to work well. The company’s feedstock is logging debris from a 100-kilometre radius. “About 90 per cent of it is mountain pine beetle-killed wood, so it’s very dry and excellent for pellets,” Brandner says. “Excel sees the bio-energy industry as an opportunity to provide value-added services to our customers,” says Annie Horning, Excel’s CEO. “We are always looking for opportunities to create synergies within our current operations and have invested in this strategy with a focus on the future. Pine Star’s high product standards were a good fit with our vision of securing valued partnerships with our employees, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. We look forward to future growth and diversification in this industry.” AxCor IN New bruNswICk Demand is strong for grinding in the St. Anthony area of New Brunswick, and at a company called AXCOR, owner Denis Cormier Canadian BIOMASS 27
Canadian Biomass September/October 2013: Page 27
