Wear Parts Supply for Biomass Pellet Plants

Drax has appointed ANDRITZ as the sole supplier of wear parts for its biomass pellet production plants in North America under a multi-year supply agreement running through September 2029, with the aim of stabilizing operations and improving maintenance efficiency.

Long-term supply agreement for biomass production
Under the agreement, ANDRITZ will provide wear parts used in critical stages of biomass pellet production, where components are subject to continuous mechanical stress and abrasion. Reliable availability of these parts is a key factor in maintaining uninterrupted plant operation, as unplanned downtime in pelletizing systems can directly affect output volumes and energy supply commitments.

By consolidating wear-part supply under a single provider, Drax reduces complexity in its maintenance and procurement processes. This approach supports a more predictable renewable energy supply chain, particularly relevant for large-scale biomass operations supplying power generation assets.

Regional service capabilities and delivery performance
The partnership builds on ANDRITZ’s expanded service infrastructure in North America. Recent investments include the opening of a service center in Ruston, Louisiana, and a die production facility in Windsor, Ontario. These locations are positioned to reduce lead times for replacement parts by shortening transport distances and enabling regional manufacturing and refurbishment.

Faster delivery of wear parts contributes to improved maintenance planning and lowers the risk of extended outages. Reduced transport distances also decrease logistics-related emissions, aligning operational efficiency measures with broader sustainability objectives in biomass-based energy systems.

Operational and strategic impact
Ensuring consistent access to wear parts allows Drax to allocate technical and operational resources more efficiently, shifting focus from reactive maintenance toward process optimization and performance monitoring. This supports stable pellet production volumes, which are a prerequisite for meeting renewable energy generation targets and carbon-reduction strategies linked to biomass fuel use.

For ANDRITZ, the agreement reflects a service-oriented approach that combines component supply with localized support capabilities. In the context of industrial biomass processing, such arrangements address the increasing demand for predictable lifecycle support rather than transactional spare-part procurement.

Application context
The supply agreement applies across Drax’s biomass pellet facilities in North America, where high-throughput production environments require wear-resistant components and dependable service responsiveness. As pellet production scales to meet renewable energy demand, localized service infrastructure and long-term supply contracts play a growing role in maintaining operational continuity and cost control.