Georgia Biomass, LLC3390 Industrial Blvd, Waycross, Georgia, United States

Georgia Biomass, LLC is one of Southeast Georgia’s premier producers of wood pellets. Over the last seven years in operation the company has created over 90 jobs locally, over 300 indirect jobs, and is a great support to the surrounding community.   Our plant, located in Waycross, Georgia, is one of the largest, most modern facilities of its kind in the world. With a highly automated system and around the clock operation, the facility can produce 750,000 metric tons of pellets annually utilizing 22 pellet mills.   Maintaining safety is our first priority. Managers and employees meet daily to discuss work assignments and hazards prior to beginning work. Georgia Biomass, LLC engages many contractors who, along with our employees, complete safety training during their initial visit and is subsequently reviewed annually as applicable.  Additionally, Georgia Biomass, LLC holds both PFI and ENplus quality certifications – a first for any US company in the industry. To ensure a quality product, Georgia Biomass, LLC utilizes a rigorous preventive maintenance program to produce a high-quality, consistent product with little to no interruption.

What Sets Us Apart

Our people make the difference. As simple as this statement may sound – that’s what it comes down to at Georgia Biomass. We are proud of an outstanding safety and environmental record with our employees, contractors and visitors. Since the start of operations in 2011, plant reliability has been continuously improving as evidenced by high equipment availability and high production output. Pellet production is exceeding the plant’s original nameplate capacity while the quality of our wood pellets is among the best in the business. Our supply and logistics chains function like clockwork – Georgia Biomass has never missed a delivery window for our customers. We take pride in what we do. Our employees are among the best. And we truly appreciate your business.

• Safety is not only a top priority, it is a core company value that will not be compromised. No business objective or circumstance will ever outweigh the goal of achieving a safe and healthy workplace for all employees, contractors and visitors of Georgia Biomass.
• Georgia Biomass is publicly committed to credible, environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable forestry procurement and harvesting practices to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
• As with safety, environmental stewardship is a core company value that will not be compromised. Georgia Biomass believes that 100% compliance with all environmental laws and regulations preserves the future of not only our business, but the future of our community for generations to come.

Our Plant

Our plant, located in Waycross, Georgia, started operation in April 2011 and is the largest, most modern facility of its kind in the world. It is a major source of sustainable renewable power generation in Europe.

The pelletizing process begins with delivery of raw timber that has been procured from pine forests that have been certified as sustainable.   The logs are stored in a holding area until they are needed for processing. This ensures that GBM will have sufficient raw material to maintain our continuous operation.   The logs are mechanically conveyed into the debarking drum. Inside the drum are ribs. As the drum turns, the logs tumble against each other and the walls of the drum, causing the bark to be removed by the process of abrasion. Once the logs have been debarked, they continue down the conveyor to the chipper. The logs are chipped as they pass through sets of extremely sharp knives.   The bark is used as fuel for the furnaces. Additional bark can be introduced into the process via the truck dump system.

Renewable Source

Much of our wood supply comes from the selective thinning of forest plantations which were established specifically to grow forest products. These plantations become overcrowded and need thinning, much like weeding a garden. Such thinning actually makes the forest healthier because it allows the trees to grow better, makes them less prone to insect damage and disease, reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfire, and makes the forest a better habitat for many wildlife species.  South Georgia’s forests are thriving. Georgia grows 30% more pine than is harvested while supplying the Southeast’s largest forest products industry. An average of 500 acres of pine trees gets replanted every day in Georgia!  Historically, about one-half of the fiber utilized to manufacture Georgia Biomass’ pellets come from SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE ® (SFI) and American Tree Farm System certified forests. Georgia Biomass is certified to the SFI ® chain-of-custody and fiber sourcing standards and has also achieved chain-of-custody certifications to the FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL ® (FSC®) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC™) programs.