Press Release
Energy Startup Buys Tannery
Operating from the site since April, Amenico heats buildings with used frying oil
By: Karen Langley
Article Date: Monday, November 24, 2008
Source: Concord Monitor
Months after first distributing vegetable oil from the site of a former Pittsfield tannery, alternative energy startup Amenico has purchased the Main Street site.
Amenico is marketing a cyclical energy approach that will heat buildings with used frying oil. It is already in effect at the Red Blazer restaurant in Concord and an apartment building in Manchester.
Company president Tony Giunta said Amenico's energy process could help decrease dependence on foreign oil, reduce the environmental impact of heating and save customers money.
Amenico bought the industrial building for $1.2 million in late October, but Giunta, a former mayor of Franklin, said the company will see little change in its day-to-day operations. The renewable energy dealer has operated out of the site since April.
The business model begins with the purchase of vegetable oil from bulk providers in the Midwest. Amenico sells it at a discount to its members, restaurants and food service providers throughout New Hampshire. The company buys back the used frying oil, which it refines to remove water and food particles. These steps in the cycle have begun, with 150 establishments already signed on as two-year members.