Pinnacle joins Alberta Forest Products Association

“I am very pleased that Pinnacle has chosen to join our association,” said Paul Whittaker, president and CEO of the AFPA. “Their investment in Alberta will help to diversify the economy and create jobs. Additionally, Pinnacle manufactures a sustainable product that makes use of residual materials and provides customers around the world with an environmentally-friendly heating solution.”

“We are very excited to join the AFPA,” said Leroy Reitsma, President and COO of Pinnacle. “The association has a tremendous history, representing Alberta’s most sustainable industry for 75 years. As a company that is focused on sustainability, we are proud to be part of the AFPA’s future.”

The manufacturing of wood pellets is a growing business in Alberta. Pellets make use of residual materials from the manufacturing of lumber. These residuals typically include bark, sawdust, and other parts of a log that are unsuitable for lumber production. By utilizing these materials for pellets, the forest sector helps to achieve maximum value from the resource and eliminate waste.

Pellets are shipped to customers in Asia and Europe, where they are principally used as a source of heating for industrial and utility applications. While today over 84 per cent of global pellet production is consumed in Europe, there is a rapidly growing demand for wood pellets in Asia. Pellets have a far lower carbon footprint than traditional fossil fuel heating sources. Since regeneration of areas that are logged is required by law in Alberta, wood pellets are regarded as being a fully renewable energy source.