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Pellet Fuels Institute Announces Qualification of Georgia Biomass into PFI Standards Program

PFI Standards Program Qualified Members Now Represent a Combined 1.5 Million Tons of Annual Fuel Production; Georgia Biomass Becomes Program’s Fourteenth Member

Washington, DC – June 17, 2016 – The Pellet Fuels Institute today announced the qualification of pellet fuel manufacturer Georgia Biomass of Waycross, Georgia, into the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) Standards Program. The PFI Standards Program is a third-party accreditation program providing specifications for residential and commercial-grade pellet fuel, now representing fourteen pellet manufacturing companies, among them 23 facilities.

“Acceptance into the PFI Standards Program is a significant achievement,” said Stephen Faehner, Chairman of the PFI Board of Directors. “The program continues to grow, with an increasingly larger share of the market earning the right to place the PFI Quality Mark on their product bags. Many retailers look for the Quality Mark when making decisions on which pellet fuel brands to purchase. We look forward to many more PFI Standards Program members.”

With the addition of Georgia Biomass, the PFI Standards Program now represents a combined 1.5 million tons of annual fuel production – nearly half the total U.S. production of pellet fuels for domestic use.

Jim Roecker, CEO of Georgia Biomass, said: “This latest quality achievement is an example of the continuous progress we are making toward becoming the industry leader in safely and reliably producing and supplying wood pellets of high quality for the residential markets in both the US and Europe. I am proud of and grateful for the exemplary effort put forth by the Georgia Biomass team, in partnership with our service providers, to achieve this significant quality certification which will enable Georgia Biomass to continue to grow and diversify our business.”

In qualifying for the Standards Program, Georgia Biomass joins companies across the country with previously qualified facilities: New England Wood Pellet, Curran Renewable Energy, American Wood Fibers, Lignetics Inc., Marth Peshtigo Pellet Co., Forest Energy Corp., Indeck Ladysmith, Energex, Spearfish Pellet Co., Michigan Wood Fuels LLC, Trae Fuels Ltd., Somerset Pellet Fuel and NWP Jasper.

PFI Standards Program participants can display the PFI Quality Mark on their pellet bags, signifying their qualification to the program requirements. This quality mark demonstrates to consumers that the product comes from a facility that submits its product to regular third party audits by an independent accredited auditing agency and testing laboratory. Random audits are regularly performed at production facilities to ensure qualified companies are following a quality control program. Wood pellets are tested according to the program specifications, also on a monthly basis. By taking these steps, participants ensure that their pellet quality remains consistent.

Georgia Biomass was qualified by accredited auditing agency Timber Products Inspection. For information on qualifying for the program, the first step is to contact an accredited auditing agency, a list of which can be find on PFI’s website. For further details on the PFI Standards Program, including a list of participating manufacturers, visit the PFI website, www.pelletheat.org
 

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The Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) is a North American trade association based in Arlington, Virginia, that represents a range of contributors to the pellet industry, including companies that manufacture wood pellets and pellet manufacturing equipment, or provide other products and services to the densified biomass industry at large. To learn more, please visit PFI’s website at www.pelletheat.org.