State and business officials announced Tuesday that a wood pellet manufacturer will be building a $60 million plant in Sandersville, creating 35 jobs.

General Biofuels Georgia plans to use Georgia timber to make the pellets, then sell them to a major European utility that it has a long-term contract with, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Nathan Deal.

The plant capacity will be about 440,000 tons of pellets per year. The product will be transported by the Sandersville Railroad and Norfolk Southern to the port of Savannah. Production is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2014.

General Biofuels Georgia is part of the General Biofuels group headquartered in California.

“We are committed to making Georgia the No. 1 place in the nation in which to do business, and a central plank in our strategy is to boost the manufacturing sector,” Deal stated in the news release. “Our state is uniquely equipped to help manufacturers compete globally and efficiently meet the needs of their customers. So, I am especially glad to welcome General Biofuels to Georgia.”

Ruby Sahiwal, founder and chairman for General Biofuels, said Sandersville is the ideal setting for the pellet production facility.

“The timber resources are abundant, the workforce is capable and motivated and the transportation system from Sandersville to the Port of Savannah will be tremendously advantageous,” he stated in the news release. “We look forward to joining the Washington County business community.”

To contact writer S. Heather Duncan, call744-4225.