RICHMOND, VA - Wood Fuel Developers LLC plans to open a second wood pellet manufacturing operation in Sussex County, VA.

The $8.6 million investment by parent company Industrial TurnAround Corp. (ITAC) will create 28 jobs. Virginia beat out Georgia for the project, according to Gov. Bob McDonnell's office.

Wood Fuel Developers, a start-up company, last year announced plans to open its first wood pellet plant in Greensville County, VA."Sussex County offered an existing facility that suited Wood Fuel Developers’ needs for its newest Virginia operation,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. Incentives include a $75,000 grant approved by the Governor's Opportunity Fund and $110,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds.

Wood Fuel Developers is a renewable fuels company that specializes in developing and operating wood fuel and pellet production plants to serve the residential, industrial and power generation markets.

On its website, parent company ITAC notes that it "in charge one of world's largest wood pellet plants in Selma, AL." That would be the former Dixie Pellets facility that went bankrupt in September 2009 after running up debts in excess of $70 million, according to AL.com. 

ITAC employs more than 150 engineers, designers, and project and construction managers in its engineering, on-site, and design/build staff. Its construction services employ 175 self-perform mechanical and electrical personnel. The company focues on  small to mid-sized project market for the industrial and manufacturing markets in the mid-Atlantic region..

In addition to wood pellet plants, the company's projects have included biofuels, pulp and paper, tobacco and  pharmaceuticals.