A WOOD pellet factory has made a revival saving 22 jobs despite being marked for permanent closure in September.

Arensis was welcomed back to Andover on Friday with North West Hampshire MP Kit Malthouse pressing the ‘start’ button on the first of 24 machines to be installed to run the factory at the West Portway Industrial Estate.

The plant has gone into partnership with former operator and distributor Verdo Renewables and now with two sites up and running, Arensis is now the second largest producer in the UK.

The factory prides itself as setting new standards in the industry with a "carbon lean and cost effective" model.

Arensis and Entrade chief executive Julien Uhlig said: “This development is really significant for our business growth in the UK, and for our ability to help UK companies cut their emissions. Verdo’s pellets are by far the best we tested in the UK, offering about 20 per cent more delivered energy over imported pellets.

“We don’t believe in shipping fuel around the world when local resources are available.

"We are committed to using local, sustainable sources for our biomass, reducing the transport carbon footprint and maintaining local jobs.”