Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher Provides Updates On Area Mills

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WFHR, WIRI) – Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher’s latest “Mayor’s Minute” updates the community on our area mills, cleanup of the former Billerud site, CWPco and future development plans.  

Mayor Zacher began by detailing the current status of area mills.

In March of 2024, Capital Recovery Group bought the converting plant from Billerud. The plant and associated mill had mostly been idled in 2020. The converting plant is the long building located along the river behind the former base mill buildings. This plant brings in rolls from the UP of Michigan and converts them into various paper products. This plant employs approximately 150 local workers.

The Base mill – the buildings formerly visible after crossing the Jackson St Bridge – was bought by SONOCO through a series of purchases in 2019 and 2024. This plant contains a pulp mixer that breaks down the bales of cardboard you see stored on the premises. A new machine is being added for this process and SONOCO is recruiting tenants for the excess space in the building. Currently approximately 150 are employed here.

The #16 building machine, once hailed as the source of “a new generation of quality coated papers,” has been sold. The building will remain – Mayor Zacher states there are “good prospects for future use” adding that NDAs are currently in place preventing more details from being released until the appropriate time. “As soon as I know and I get the thumbs up. I’ll let you guys know more about it,” Mayor Zacher said.

The Kraft mill, in large part, was a boiler system. Mayor Zacher was able to confirm that these boilers, once shut down, could never be restarted due to EPA restrictions. This property is currently being dismantled and recycled by MRD.  

“It is both happy and sad,” Mayor Zacher commented. “Nobody wants to see what we worked so hard to build over the last 120 years come down, but at the same time we have to look at it and say we don’t want it to sit there either and deteriorate before our eyes. We have to take the happy side of it…it’s all being cleaned out, about 220 acres for future manufacturing”

Nine Dragons owns the Biron mill, employing approximately 255 area workers. ND built a new building and machine to double their capacity and is now re-starting their previously idled older machine to meet growing orders. ND has purchased the wastewater treatment plant along Bonow and 5^th avenues as well as the landfill, ensuring their future availability

The mayor then spoke about CWPCO, Consolidated Water and Power, stating the company is “doing well, generating a profit providng power to this industrial park” and has plenty of power in reserve for future development. CWPCO employes about 125 people

The mayor wrapped up his update by stating “We work with everybody (The mills, WEDC) making sure that everybody stays strong, and we have prospects coming in. Good things are happening”

The complete video is available on the City of Wisconsin Rapids Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of MRD group.