ND Paper rebuilds Biron mill

The ND mill in Biron, Wisconsin is reopening with reestablished capacity-making packaging paper following the conversion of one of its two paper-making machines from graphic paper to packaging paper.

In addition, the mill will have added pulping capacity to manufacture 1,550 short tons per day of old corrugated container pulp (OCC) that supplies the packaging paper mill.

The Biron operation began operations in the 19th century and employs 300 full-time workers.

It is one of four mills owned by Nine Dragons Holdings, of Oak Brook, Illinois. It also owns a corrugated box manufacturing plant in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. Their other mills are located in Rumford, Old Town, Maine, and in Fairmont, West Virginia.

The site of the Biron mill was originally occupied by a sawmill in 1837, which operated until 1888. The Grand Rapids Pulp and Paper Mill was established in 1892, and the first paper mill began construction on the Biron site three years later. The mill was operated by five companies before being purchased by Nine Dragons in 2018.

The Biron mill became an even more important part of the Central Wisconsin economy following the closing of the Verso mill in the city of adjacent Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in June 2020.