Sonoco Opens Biomass Unit in South Carolina

Sonoco Products Co. has opened a biomass facility at its Hartsville, S.C., plant.

The biomass boiler for the Hartsville-based company is part of $100 million investment in the Darlington County compound, Sonoco said in a news release.

The company said it took more than two years to complete final engineering, fabricate the boiler, put together the infrastructure and complete construction of the biomass co-generation boiler system.

"A key part of Sonoco's culture is our commitment to sustainability, including our dedication to improving the environment and our contributions to the future of the communities in which we operate," said Jack Sanders, Sonoco president and CEO.

In 2011 Sonoco spent $75 million to replace two aging, coal-fired boilers and add the new biomass boiler at its plant in Hartsville.

The new boiler is fueled primarily by woody biomass from regional logging activity, but it also can run on natural gas. It will produce about 16 megawatts of energy that will be consumed by the manufacturing complex, as well as steam that is used to make paper.