Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Not Optimistic About Former Verso Paper Mill

Monday, December 18th, 2023 -- 10:00 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Shane Blaser says the situation with the former Verso paper mill, which is currently owned by Billerud, is still on his mind, but optimism is hard to come by, according to Mike Leischner with WSAU.

"I'll be honest, every week that goes by I have less positive feelings." He says while some areas of the building are being used, the vacant parts are deteriorating quickly meaning it's extremely unlikely that it could be used as a fully functional mill again.

"In reality I don't know if they'll ever open as a paper mill. I just don't know. I don't have that crystal ball. But, hopefully, there will be a use for it that will benefit the community."

He says a portion of the plant is still operating for parent company Billerud, taking paper and making it into folio and digital sheets, but the operation is much smaller than it was during the mill's golden age.

"Kinda what it's come down to, a couple hundred employees. But it sounds like, what I've heard, they're thriving. Everything is going well. But, yeah, the 900, when I was growing up here, the thousands of people that worked in the paper industry here, that's kinda what it's come down to. A couple hundred employees.

Blaser adds that there isn't a week that goes by where he and other leaders are discussing the situation with the mill, but discussions with Billerud's representatives has been few and far between.

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