MONTICELLO, AR –  Zilkha Biomass Energy will build a $90 facility in Monticello, AR to manufacture wood pellets for commercial use.

The Texas-based energy company’s new plant will produce the Zilkha Black Pellet, a wood pellet the company says burns cleaner and more efficiently than traditional wood pellets. Jack Holmes, company CEO, said the pellets are water resistant , so the product cannot be compromised if it becomes wet.

The new plant is expected to create 52 new jobs, Zilkha officials said. Forests cover more than 18.8 million acres in Arkansas – more than half of the state – making the state an good location for biomass production, officials said.