Kruger, File photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

HOG FUEL

Kruger, Arrow utilizing previously burned slash piles to fuel the power plant at Kamloops mill

Dec 11, 2025 | 4:54 PM

KAMLOOPS — Representatives from the Kruger Pulp mill along with Arrow Transportation presented to the TNRD on Thursday (Dec. 11) afternoon regarding how they utilize slash piles.

Historically, slash piles have been burned as waste. Arrow is now expanding a program of grinding the debris and then using that fibre as hog fuel to help run energy plants at facilities like Kruger in Kamloops. 

With the current forestry market struggles, Kruger has needed to remain nimble.

“Historically, we secured almost all of our hog… in fact, all of it was from sawmills locally,” said Tom Hoffman, Kruger’s fibre manager. “But if you haven’t heard lately, there have been a number of sawmills facing closure, and I won’t go down that path or we will be here all afternoon. The net result is we need to find alternate sources of hog to run our power plant and that is where we have engaged the contractor Arrow to assist us with that.”

Recently, Arrow was grinding the slash piles left behind following extensive cleanup of the Ross Moore Lake wildfire which burned through area south of Kamloops back in 2023. So far in that area, Arrow has ground 1,400 trucks worth — or enough hog fuel to power 1,400 homes for an entire year.

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“After we’ve harvested a block, whether it’s been burnt or green, once they remove the saw logs there is a waste component — whether it’s crooked, rotten treetops, and that is what was typically burnt. That is the majority of what we grind,” explained Greg Kilba, division manager at Kruger. 

While the process is effective in utilizing waste and better for the environment, the slash is limited by how far Arrow can travel with it still making economic sense. The company says it is looking to the province for funding assistance.