$49 million box plant could create 88 jobs in Racine County, Wisconsin
December 27, 2019
WISCONSIN (From news reports) -- An affiliate of ND Paper Inc. could invest $49 million in a box plant in Racine County that would create 88 jobs, according to a Thursday announcement by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
ND Paper Inc. is already investing up to $189 million in a paper mill near Wisconsin Rapids, which is the state's largest economic development deal for 2019, according to the WEDC. But an affiliate of the company called Badger Solutions LLC may also make a large investment in southeast Wisconsin.
The ND Paper project in Wisconsin Rapids will convert some of the mill's equipment to produce materials used for corrugated cardboard boxes. It appears the boxes themselves could be made in Mount Pleasant.
The company in October bought a vacant, 350,274-square-foot industrial building at 7601 Durand Ave. in Mount Pleasant. While located in Mount Pleasant for property tax purposes, the property's records list an address in neighboring Sturtevant.
ND Paper made that $15.5 million purchase through an affiliate company called Badger Solutions, which the WEDC said will receive up to $600,000 in state tax credits to rehab a building for a "full-service" box plant in Sturtevant. The WEDC list distributed Thursday called that project its seventh-largest economic development deal of the year.
Officials from WEDC and ND Paper were not available for comment. Officials from WEDC have not formally announced the Racine County project, and it is not included in the state agency's online search engine of finalized incentive awards.
ND Paper has requested confidentiality from other parties involved in its acquisition of the Mount Pleasant building. The company has not filed for applications for the Durand Avenue property, said Robin Palm, Mount Pleasant village planner.
ND Paper however two weeks ago advertised job openings on LinkedIn for a new Sturtevant plant, including for a customer solutions leader, controller and purchasing manager.
ND Paper is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper, based in Hong Kong. ND Paper's headquarters office is in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, and shares an address with Badger Solutions LLC.
