Editing Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Wisconsin Rapids paper plant.jpg|thumb|Wisconsin Rapids [[paper mill]]]]

Known for its [[Pulp and paper industry|papermaking]] history, Wisconsin Rapids is also an important location for the [[cranberry]] industry. Wisconsin Rapids is the corporate home of the international educational software company, [[Renaissance Learning]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lawder |first1=Melanie |title=Renaissance Learning benefits from central location |url=https://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/story/money/companies/pride/2014/09/23/renaissance-learning-wisconsin-rapids-accelerated-reader/16115167/ |access-date=July 18, 2023 |publisher=Wisconsin Rapids Tribune |date=September 23, 2014}}</ref>

From its founding in 1894, Wisconsin Rapids was home to the corporate headquarters of [[Consolidated Papers, Inc.|Consolidated Papers, Inc]], which was acquired by the Finnish company [[Stora Enso]] in early-2000.<ref>[http://www.thestreet.com/story/887644/1/stora-enso-to-purchase-consolidated-papers.html "Stora Enso to Purchase Consolidated Papers"]. The Street. Retrieved March 26, 2016</ref> In 2007, [[NewPage]] acquired the paper production facility.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newpage-to-acquire-stora-enso-north-america-58169737.html "NewPage to Acquire Stora Enso North America"]. PR Newswire. Retrieved August 9, 2016</ref> In 2015, [[Verso Corporation]] acquired the mill.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/story/news/local/2015/01/07/newpage-verso-merger-now-complete/21395663/|title=NewPage-Verso merger now complete|date=January 7, 2015|work=Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune|access-date=March 20, 2019}}</ref> Verso continued its presence in the area with a [[paper mill]] that houses two [[paper machine]]s and a [[Kraft process|kraft]] [[pulp mill]]. In June 2020, Verso announced the closing of their paper mill for at least two months, with the resulting loss of 900 jobs.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kendall|first=Peter|date=July 30, 2020|title=Pandemic kills off century-old paper plant, and a region reels|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/30/wisconsin-paper-mill-shutdown-coronavirus/|access-date=July 31, 2020|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en}}</ref> After being closed for 2 years, [[Billerud]] (also known as BillerudKorsnäs) acquired with Verso in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BillerudKorsnäs completes acquisition of Verso |url=https://www.billerud.com/press--news/press-releases/2022/billerudkorsnas-completes-acquisition-of-verso |access-date=October 28, 2023 |website=Billerud |language=en}}</ref> Since the closing in 2020, the only use of the property has been a lease with Sonoco, another paper manufacturer, which operates in a secondary building of the plant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Dominique |date=July 21, 2023 |title=Wisconsin Rapids holds meeting to discuss future of its paper mill |url=https://www.wsaw.com/2023/07/21/wisconsin-rapids-holds-meeting-discuss-future-its-paper-mill/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |website= |language=}}</ref>