A Nine Dragons Paper subsidiary’s planned $189 million investment in a Biron paper mill ranked as the No. 1 economic development project for this year in the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.’s annual list.
ND Paper LLC, subsidiary of Chinese packing firm Nine Dragons, is converting machinery in the Biron plant near Wisconsin Rapids to make materials used for cardboard boxes, and building facilities for recycled paper pulp and water treatment. The state awarded $1.7 million to the project, which will create 27 jobs.
A second investment by an affiliate of ND Paper in Racine County could be the seventh largest economic development deal of the year, according to a WEDC list distributed Thursday.
ND Paper’s Biron project held the top spot among 289 companies that received state support through the WEDC this year, according to a list released Thursday. The highest in southeast Wisconsin was Nexus Pharmaceuticals Inc., which could receive up to $1.5 million in tax credits for its Pleasant Prairie facility.
Milwaukee Tool’s major Menomonee Falls campus was not on the WEDC’s final list. The state approved a contract with Milwaukee Tool on Dec. 20 to receive up to $20 million in exchange for creating 870 jobs under an expected $107.5 million investment.
Here’s a full rundown of the WEDC’s top 15 list for 2019:
1. ND Paper Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $189 million WEDC investment: $1.7 million in tax credits
- Project scope: Expansion and modernization of Biron mill to produce corrugated cardboard, which the company called an entry-point for new markets.
- Estimated job impact: 27 new jobs created and 342 jobs retained
2. Nouryon Pulp and Performance Chemicals LLC
- Estimated total project cost: $99 million
- WEDC investment: $850,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Chemical production process facility expansion in Howard
- Estimated job impact: 56 new jobs created
3. Catalent Pharma Solutions LLC
- Estimated total project cost: $74 million
- WEDC investment: $1.3 million in tax credits
- Project scope: Expand Madison biomanufacturing site with 60,000 square feet to provide more clinical and commercial production capacity.
- Estimated job impact: 145 new jobs created and 277 jobs retained
4. Matalco Wisconsin LLC
- Estimated total project cost: $70 million
- WEDC investment: $1.5 million in tax credits
- Project scope: New, 110,000-square-foot Wisconsin Rapids facility to produce more than more than 230 million pounds of aluminum blocks by recycling scrap aluminum. It is the company’s first Wisconsin production facility.
- Estimated job impact: 80 new jobs created
5. Nexus Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $67 million
- WEDC investment: $1.5 million in tax credits
- Project scope: First new injectable medication manufacturing plant for Illinois pharmaceutical developer. Located west of Interstate 94 in Pleasant Prairie, the project could grow to a $250 million investment in subsequent phases.
- Estimated job impact: 77 new jobs created
6. Sub-Zero Group Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $70 million
- WEDC investment: $1 million in tax credits
- Project scope: A new, 350,000-square-foot research and development facility in Fitchburg. Sub-Zero, based in Madison, makes refrigeration, cooking and dishwashing appliances under the Wolf and Cove brands.
- Estimated job impact: 100 new jobs created and 1,759 jobs retained
7. Badger Solutions LLC
- Estimated total project cost: $49 million
- WEDC investment: $600,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Conversion of existing commercial building into a full-service box plant in Sturtevant
- Estimated job impact: 88 new jobs created
8. CSL Centro Sperimentale del Latte USA Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $47 million
- WEDC investment: $350,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: CSL Centro is anItalian company that makes food ingredients and supplements, and does business as ProBio. It’s planned plant in Caledonia would be the company’s first in the U.S.
- Estimated job impact: 31 new jobs created
9. Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing US Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $41 million
- WEDC investment: $400,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: New lab facility and administration space in Madison
- Estimated job impact: 85 jobs created and 325 jobs to be retained
10. Salm Partners LLC
- Estimated total project cost: $38 million
- WEDC investment: $600,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Expansion of the smoked sausage and hot dog maker’s facility in Denmark, Brown County
- Estimated job impact: 55 jobs created and 388 jobs retained
11. City of Stevens Point
- Estimated total project cost: $31 million
- WEDC investment: $250,000 grant
- Project scope: New mixed-use housing and commercial development
12. American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $25 million
- WEDC investment: $950,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Construction of new shared service center in Beloit for ABC Supply.
- Estimated job impact: 195 jobs created and 637 jobs retained
13. Deere & Co.
- Estimated total project cost: $24 million
- WEDC investment: $250,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Expansion project in Horicon manufacturing facility for a a 22,000-square-foot building and new equipment
- Estimated job impact: 12 jobs created and 768 jobs retained
14. Faith Technologies Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $20 million
- WEDC investment: $800,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: New manufacturing expansion in Little Chute for the electrical, engineering and technology systems contractor
- Estimated job impact: 275 jobs created and 1,517 jobs retained
15. Menard Inc.
- Estimated total project cost: $19 million
- WEDC investment: $500,000 in tax credits
- Project scope: Expansion project in Eau Claire
- Estimated job impact: 35 jobs created and 2,988 jobs retained