Wisconsin Rapids fire officials say there’s an ongoing investigation into cause of a fire at the Verso Paper Mill on West Riverview Expressway. Multiple fire departments were called to help fight the fire Tuesday evening. It was mostly contained by 10:15pm. Witnesses say black smoke was seen rising from the part of the complex. A former employee of the mill says the fire was in the Kraft Mill where wood chips were cooked into pulp. The paper mill was opened in 1904. It was Rapids’ largest employer until it was shut down in the summer of 2020.

Two of Domtar’s values are collaboration and entrepreneurship, qualities the Nekoosa, Wisconsin, mill recently demonstrated via a partnership that turned a costly sourcing challenge into an innovative project with environmental, operational and economic benefits. Partnering with Omya, a leading global producer of essential minerals and a worldwide distributor of specialty materials, the mill built an on-site plant to ensure a reliable source of precipitated calcium carbonate, a key papermaking ingredient. The new PCC plant came online in September 2024, solving several supply challenges. Thinking creatively, Domtar and Omya researched constructing a four-story PCC plant at the Nekoosa mill. Studies by Omya and AFRY, an engineering consulting firm serving the pulp and paper industry, confirmed Nekoosa as a viable location for such a plant, offering proper carbon dioxide content, secondary CO2 supply options, favorable logistics and sufficient product storage capability. Both companies invested significant capital for engineering, permitting, demolition, foundation work, utilities and CO2 supply, as well as PCC manufacturing, storage and unloading facilities. Construction was complete by July 2024, and the PCC plant became operational in September 2024.

The Board of Directors appointed the following leaders to the Management Committee, effective February 23, 2021: Maria Brennan has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, procurement. James (Bill) Edwards has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, pulp and paper operations. Steven Henry has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, packaging. Stephen Makris has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, business transformation. Robert Melton has been appointed to the role of senior vice president, pulp and paper commercial. In addition, Domtar today announced that Zygmunt Jablonski, senior vice president and chief legal and administrative officer will be departing on April 2, 2021 after 13 years with the company. Nancy Klembus will assume the role of senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Richard McAtee will assume the role of senior vice president, human resources.