by David Flint
Just a month after the sale of W.J. Cowee, LLC, the floral products company, to a Georgia firm, it has now been announced that the other Cowee company, that had become Hoosick River Hardwoods, has been acquired by Green Renewable, Inc. Green Renewable, according to their press release, is “a company focused on producing products for the heat and energy industries derived from renewable resources for a more sustainable future.”
Green Renewable President Sean M. Gallivan, who is also the owner of S.M. Gallivan, LLC of Troy, said that all Hoosick River Hardwoods staff members have been retained by the new company. With several new staff added in the last few days, there are now a total of 18 employees. The company plans to hire a few more employees in the near future and approximately another dozen workers in 2012.
S.M. Gallivan is an established, successful business in the wood product industry. The diversified company also has interests in truck transportation, the manufacturing of landscape supplies, including mulch and lawn feeding products, wood and aggregate recycling, and commerce of agricultural commodities such as dried feed corn.
“With our experience and knowledge of the wood product business, this was a great opportunity to revitalize this historical facility,” said Gallivan. “Under direction of our general manager, Tara Fisher, we are very excited and committed to quality customer service and to the highest business standards.”
Green Renewable has acquired 54 acres of industrial zoned land that was the Cowee plant, which is now named the Northeast Green Center industrial park and includes 82,000 square feet of building space with more than 30 separate industrial buildings on the property.
Hoosick River Hardwoods, formerly Cowee Forest Products, had been running the facility since 2009 and produced kiln-dried firewood under the Burn Rite™ label.
Prior to that it was owned and operated by five generations of the Cowee family dating back to the late 1800s. Willis Judson Cowee founded W.J. Cowee, Inc. in 1898 with his invention, design and mass production of wooden floral picks. The 1920s saw the development of a wood turning line, mostly for toy companies such as Fisher-Price and Milton Bradley. One of the Cowee specialties for Fisher-Price was a train of wooden ducks. Additionally, they also made the famous wooden Tinkertoys, one of the most popular playthings in toy history.
Current plans for the facility under Green Renewable, Inc. includes the continued production of kiln-dried Burn Rite™ Firewood which meets the specifications of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for invasive species control. Additionally, Green Renewable
will be updating two micro-steam turbine generators, which are self-contained systems designed to generate electric power from the facility’s existing biomass gasifiers and boilers. According to the news release, timber brought into the Northeast Green Center is from trees that are harvested by careful and thoughtful forestland management practices. The timber is fully utilized. What is not used for firewood will be processed in the biomass gasifiers producing steam to generate electricity, an important step towards creating a sustainable future. In addition, a solar energy farm will be constructed on site to assist in daily power needs.
Gallivan said that the company at this time will not be producing mulch or lawn feeding products but will concentrate on energy sector products. He expects to start generating power in the coming 12 months. The power will initially be used for the existing plant and other companies that may lease space in the park.
Approximately 35,000 square feet of space is currently available (build to suit) at the Northeast Green Center to companies that are in line with Green Renewable’s mission of renewable energy. It is expected that industrial and light manufacturing tenants will be attracted to the site due to its source of dependable, green, low-cost electricity.
Gallivan said that there are currently six businesses leasing space including Eagle Energy, Inc., Duane Goodermote Excavating, Milanese Commercial Door LLC, Leonard Wood Shavings, Taconic Ridge Contracting and Advanced Water Systems LLC.
Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger said he had met with Gallivan and was enthusiastic and optimistic about his plans. What he is proposing should be a blessing for the Town, Jaeger thought. Aside from the approximately 17 new jobs, Jaeger said that Gallivan’s concepts for the site should be a great improvement for Berlin and it has a strong potential for attracting new business. He noted that the site is an industrial area and Gallivan has all the permits he needs for the industrial uses he proposes. “I think this will spur growth for the Town, and I look forward to working with him,” he said.