CEDAR RAPIDS — Worldwide Paper’s $103 million enlargement of its Cedar River Mill facility was awarded $1.2 million in state tax incentives Friday, supporting its proposed improvement of a extra sustainable construction that may cut back greenhouse fuel emissions by greater than 20 p.c within the coming years.
The Iowa Financial Growth Authority board permitted tax credit for the corporate — one of many world’s main producers of renewable corrugated packaging and cellulose fibers — towards its new 20,000 square-foot facility on the present mill web site at 4600 C St. SW, adjoining to the paper machine buildings.
On the firm’s Iowa manufacturing places, Worldwide Paper creates materials for fiber-based packaging merchandise. The important thing segments served embrace e-commerce, processed meals and beverage, fruit and greens, protein, distribution and sturdy/nondurable items.
The undertaking was eligible for state incentives beneath Iowa’s high-quality jobs program, and in the end obtained $800,000 in funding tax credit and a $400,200 in gross sales, service, use tax refund.
“It is a main funding in Cedar Rapids and a testomony to our financial improvement and progress methods,” Metropolis Supervisor Jeff Pomeranz stated in an announcement. “This undertaking demonstrates Worldwide Paper’s dedication to Cedar Rapids. We’re proud to help their funding and sit up for the constructive affect it is going to have on our neighborhood.”
In accordance with IEDA paperwork, the Cedar Rapids facility pays a $30.24 hourly wage — above the state’s high-quality jobs threshold of $25.20. The undertaking will maintain 240 jobs within the metropolis and create seven extra, in line with town of Cedar Rapids.
The corporate congratulated its staff and thanked town of Cedar Rapids and the state on Friday.
“This funding is a direct reflection of your onerous work and dedication to our clients and displays the corporate’s dedication to the neighborhood and our industrial packaging enterprise,” Jay Royalty, senior vp, Containerboard at Worldwide Paper, stated of the staff.
The Cedar Rapids Metropolis Council final week permitted awarding metropolis incentives — a 10-year, declining scale exemption of the elevated worth the undertaking generates. Primarily based on the proposed funding, town estimates the undertaking will generate $2.337 million in new taxes over a 10-year interval, of which $961,000 will probably be exempt.
Worldwide Paper’s Cedar River Mill situated in Cedar Rapids presently purchases course of steam from Alliant Power’s Prairie Creek producing station. By 2026, Alliant Power will now not burn coal at its Prairie Creek producing station, so this Worldwide Paper location will lose steam provide on Dec. 31, 2025.
The proposed undertaking will supply a brand new steam provide to allow Worldwide Paper’s continued operations on the Cedar River Mill. The undertaking requires the development of a two-story constructing to accommodate the bundle boilers, water remedy programs and related supporting programs.
Moreover, the event would scale back Cedar River Mill’s whole carbon emissions as Worldwide Paper transitions away from bought steam utilizing coal-fired boilers to on-site steam manufacturing via using two new pure gas-fired bundle boilers, in line with the IEDA. Water Remedy gear will probably be put in to offer water to the brand new boilers.
The brand new constructing will embrace transitions for direct entry to the working and floor flooring. To accommodate the brand new construction and gear, in line with the IEDA, underground water, firewater and a course of sewer will probably be rerouted on the constructing web site. A brand new pure fuel line to the mill web site will help the bundle boilers.
Ron Corbett, Cedar Rapids Metro Financial Alliance’s vp of financial improvement, stated the undertaking demonstrates the corporate’s help of the mill and town.
“There was large neighborhood pleasure when the recycling paper mill was introduced again within the early Nineteen Nineties,” stated Corbett. “Nearly 30 years later the dedication by Worldwide Paper continues with this newest $100 million funding.”
Of the $103 million capital funding, $20 million will go towards constructing enlargement and $83 million will cowl equipment and gear.
“Considered one of our financial improvement targets is to retain and develop our neighborhood’s current companies. This funding checks all of the bins,” Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell stated in an announcement. “Worldwide Paper is a pacesetter in useful resource restoration. This undertaking will guarantee a long-standing Cedar Rapids enterprise can proceed to serve our neighborhood’s sustainability targets and supply high-quality jobs for our workforce.”
Website work is anticipated to start in November, with development beginning in November 2024. The brand new steam plant is slated to grow to be operational on the finish of 2025 and will probably be examined to help mill operations by Jan. 1, 2026, in line with the IEDA.
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