Weyerhaeuser Company and Aymium announced on Dec. 11 that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly produce and market 1.5 million tons of sustainable biocarbon each year for use in metals production. As a first step, the companies have created a joint venture, TerraForge Biocarbon Solutions, to build a facility next to Weyerhaeuser’s lumber mill in McComb, Mississippi. The plant will convert wood fiber into biocarbon through a combustion-free, low-emissions process, reports Biomass Magazine.
Under the MOU, the partners plan to secure long-term biocarbon supply contracts and identify multiple locations to build production facilities across Weyerhaeuser’s operating footprint over the next five years. The initiative will rely on Weyerhaeuser’s timberland and manufacturing assets, combined with Aymium’s proprietary technology and track record in biocarbon production.
At full scale, the network of facilities will have the capacity to convert more than 7 million tons of wood fiber — exclusively sourced from Weyerhaeuser — into 1.5 million tons of metallurgical-grade biocarbon annually. The product is designed to serve as a direct replacement for coal in the production of iron, steel, silicon, ferro-alloys and other metals.
Aymium has built a significant global customer pipeline through years of testing with leading metals manufacturers. Its patented biocarbon products are engineered to substitute coal and coke without requiring new capital investment or changes to existing production processes.
Weyerhaeuser manages more than 10 million acres of timberlands in the U.S. and operates 33 manufacturing facilities across North America, providing scale and secure access to raw fiber.
Devin W. Stockfish, president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser, said the partnership combines the company’s renewable fiber resources with Aymium’s technology and marks a major expansion of its Climate Solutions business. He added that the McComb facility, expected to begin operations in 2027, will create regional demand for fiber, support local operations, and generate jobs. He said the model could be replicated across the company’s broader portfolio.
James Mennell, CEO of Aymium, said the collaboration offers unmatched sourcing reliability and will allow for increased biocarbon production as a renewable alternative to coal and coke, delivering added value to customers.
