This grant seeks to build on that first year of investment with several additional elements to expanded production and more energy efficient operations. 1. Diesel stacker conveyor to move firewood…

Central Mass Tree Inc. received a $978,728 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Eastern Regional Office, under the Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) program (CFDA 10.681) awarded on June 23, 2025. The grant supports infrastructure expansion and modernization of the company's firewood production operations in Massachusetts through September 30, 2027. Key deliverables include installation of a diesel stacker conveyor system, a second Small Quick Performance firewood kiln, a second Quonset hut for dry firewood storage, a fixed Multitek SF2040 electric firewood processor with associated electrical utilities, a firewood tumbler for removing fines and impurities, and four roll-off containers to enhance material movement efficiency across production stages.

This award aligns with WERC's mission to enhance sustained forest products production within the eastern hardwood region by supporting primary wood industry infrastructure improvements and operational efficiency gains. The equipment upgrades, particularly the transition from diesel to electric processing equipment, represent investments in both production capacity expansion and energy-efficient operations for this wood products business.

This grant seeks to build on that first year of investment with several additional elements to expanded production and more energy efficient operations. 1. Diesel stacker conveyor to move firewood in all phases of the operation; 2.lnstallation of a second smallquick performance firewood kiln;3. Installation of a second quonset HU : to store dry firewood; 4. Installation of a fixed multitek SF2040 electric firewood ' processor which includes electrical design and installation utilities to replace an old aging diesel processor; 5. Installation of a firewood tumbler to remove fines, soil and other impurities; 6. Purchase 4 roll-off to create efficiency moving firewood to various production steps.