Wood panel firm plans smaller biomass plant

Instead owners of the Kronospan factory will submit a new planning application to build a much smaller plant that will generate heat only.

The new plans were unveiled by the chairman of the factory, one of the top 10 manufacturing companies in Wales, at a meeting of Chirk Town Council last night.

Mike McKenna said that the international owners of the plant had decided to change its strategy for biomass systems world wide.

He said: "The new scheme is a lower cost investment and the company has learnt from what has been happening on other sites.

"We want to generate heat by using our wood waste and it is much simpler to produce just heat than to generate heat and electricity."

Company secretary Chris Ryan said: "Our thoughts have evolved.

"This will benefit the company and, with a smaller building in which to site the biomass plant it will also benefit the residents of Chirk. It is a win-win situation."

A 3D model of the factory was used to explain the plans of the company as well as large scale photos with the proposed biomass plant super-imposed on it.

Mr McKenna said that, as a resident of Chirk, he believed that the change of attitude was good for the area.

"It will have less of an impact on the landscape," he said.

He said a planning application was due to be submitted to Wrexham County Borough Council today.

The council heard that February 2014 was the earliest date that a decision could be made.

If permission was granted, the approved plan would then have to be revoked with the aim to start boiler commissioning in April 2014.

Kronospan employs more than 600 people, 90 per cent of whom live within 10 miles of the Chirk site. Many of those employed have worked there since it opened in 1970.

The firm describes itself as a "close-knit family, 100 per cent committed to each other and our customers".

It is the UK's only fully integrated producer of wood-based panel products.