Work activities include preliminary design and planning for the wood pellet system; reinstalling major equipment components; building / installing of the wood pellet system; and startup and testing of…

Federal Grant Award Summary

American Wood Fibers Inc. received a $600,000 Project Grant award on September 8, 2025, under the Wood Utilization Assistance program (CFDA 10.674), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The award funds the design, planning, reinstallation, construction, and commissioning of a wood pellet production system at the company's Circleville division facility in California. Work activities include preliminary design and planning, reinstallation of major equipment components, building and installation of the wood pellet system, and startup and testing of the completed facility.

The project is designed to achieve 100% production capacity for the wood pellet system and enable the awardee to fulfill established and new purchase orders while tracking increased utilization of wood by-products from area mills and wood flour sales. The award has an ultimate completion date of June 30, 2027. The Wood Utilization Assistance program funds projects nationwide that strengthen forest products and wood energy markets while supporting hazardous fuel reduction and sustainable forest management objectives, with typical funding focused on equipment installation and infrastructure improvements at wood processing facilities.

Work activities include preliminary design and planning for the wood pellet system; reinstalling major equipment components; building / installing of the wood pellet system; and startup and testing of the completed project. The goals of the project are to bring the new system into full 100% production mode, to begin producing wood pellets for established and new purchase orders, and to track increased use of wood by-products from area mills and wood flour sales.