A Proposal to Process Hardwoods at the Masonite Facility

April 23, 2006

During the course of researching the subject of converting tanoak to energy, the efforts of developer Chris Stone were brought to my attention. I asked Chris to convey to the Tree Tips audience his proposal.

Chris Stone writes, "My efforts are focused on saving the Masonite site in Ukiah from being converted to a big box shopping center. Masonite in Ukiah once processed up to 500,000 tons of wood fiber annually. Reactivation of the facility to produce a fabric fiber called Lyocell, brand name Tencel, principally from tanoak would be a County wide boon. Hardwoods are preferred because they have significantly higher cellulose content as compared to softwoods. Lyocell production utilizes an amine to dissolve cellulose in a closed loop process, which has received environmental recognition in Europe. Lyocell is currently being produced in Mobile Alabama, Grimsby UK, and in China. Total annual world production is about 200,000 tons and is utilized in high value apparel as well as nonwoven products, medical wipes and hospital gowns. The fabric industry forecasts a worldwide demand of 700,000 tons by 2020.

How can a decommissioned facility in Ukiah California stay globally competitive? One part of the answer is the abundance of tanoak in Northern California and the ability at Masonite to directly convert wood fiber to Lyocell. All other major Lyocell production facilities worldwide rely upon the pulp market for their supply line. Single site conversion of wood fiber to Lyocell, based upon $60.00 per ton delivered price, achieves a 33% supply line advantage over pulp market rates. Couple this with the capital cost advantage the Masonite facility represents and you have a positive answer to the question of competitiveness.

If production achieved 500,000 tons annual wood fiber processing then about 500 new jobs would be created. Additionally, the Masonite boiler feed water could be supplied from the Ukiah wastewater facility. This would represent approximately 950 acre feet of wastewater consumption, one third of the wastewater being discharged into the Russian River annually.

A new process that converts lignin, the other major component of wood fiber, which in pulp production is not much more than a waste stream, to biodegradable polystyrene will soon see commercial development. Scientists working in this field project that within ten years lignin will also be a source for polyester materials. In the face of oil scarcity, it only seems prudent to preserve and utilize facilities that possess the capacity to convert wood fiber into the products that will be lost when oil runs out."

I continue to be intrigued by Chris Stone's proposal for several reasons, the foremost of which is having an outlet to which small diameter tanoak could be sold at a reasonable price.

To communicate directly with Chris, his email is seastone@starband.net.

I welcome responses as well as ideas for future Tree Tips. You can also get an email version by contacting me at thembi@mcn.org.

Thembi Borras is a Registered Professional Forester living and working in Mendocino County, CA USA.