ND Paper has announced plans to invest $189 million to improve the long-term sustainability, safety and efficiency of its plant in central Wisconsin. WEDC is supporting the project with up to $1.7 million in performance-based tax credits.

Located in Wood County in the village of Biron, the mill—acquired by ND Paper in 2018—currently employs around 350 people. The company expects to create 27 additional jobs with the construction of a recycled pulp facility and a water treatment and fiber recovery plant.

The state tax credits are contingent on the total capital investment made by ND Paper and the number of jobs created at the facility over the next three years.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of WEDC and the State of Wisconsin,” said Ken Liu, ND Paper’s group deputy chairman and CEO. “Our vision is to transform the Biron division into a world-class facility that is sustainable for the next 100 years.”

ND Paper is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper, a Chinese company that specializes in manufacturing high-quality, environmentally friendly pulp and paper products. The company employs more than 1,200 workers and produces 1.2 million short tons of pulp and paper annually at its plants in Wisconsin, Maine and West Virginia.