Port Huron, Michigan based Legacy Port Huron Paper Company, a subsidiary of BMI Group, has announced their plans to repurpose nearly 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space in Port Huron in St. Clair County. The investment will take place across nine buildings where they will revitalize existing space into warehousing, papermill manufacturing and other industrial uses.
“By combining experienced papermakers and skilled trades professionals from the former Domtar and Dunn mills, two historic specialty Port Huron paper mills, we are putting proven Michigan papermaking talent back to work while positioning Legacy Port Huron Paper for long-term growth into the future,” said Tim Wight, General Manager of Legacy Port Huron Paper.
The company’s parent, BMI Group, is a transformative real estate and infrastructure development company founded in 2004 and headquartered in Ontario. The BMI Group specializes in revitalizing underutilized industrial sites, focusing on former pulp and paper mills, and returning social and economic opportunities to industrial and commercial infrastructure.
“Very pleased and excited to see this project come to fruition – making products in Michigan and placing idle manufacturing back into productive use,” said State Senator Dan Lauwers.
The company is expanding to meet the rising market demand for domestically produced sustainable specialty and food grade packaging largely due to the increased packaged food consumption, and rapid growth in the fast food market, which has been fortified with the expansion of delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, while displacing single-use plastic.
“The production of quality paper is woven into Port Huron’s history,” said James R. Freed, City Manager, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Port Huron. “By putting our skilled tradespeople and craftspeople back to work, we are creating good-paying careers at home and proving to the world that Michigan still knows how to compete. “
The project is anticipated to generate $24.5 million in capital investment and anticipates the creation of at least 82 new jobs with starting wages of $27 per hour plus benefits, which is more than $5 above the regional median wage of $21.58. The Michigan Strategic Fund has offered support in the form of an MBDP performance-based grant in the amount of $1 million.
“The Economic Development Alliance is proud to welcome Legacy Port Huron Paper to our community. This project represents a remarkable collaboration among the EDA, MEDC, the City of Port Huron, and Macomb-St. Clair MichiganWorks,” added Bruce Seymore II, Vice President, Business Services of the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County.
He continued, “By reopening a historic paper mill, Legacy Port Huron Paper is breathing new life into an industry that has been part of our region for over a century. The creation of high-quality jobs will provide outstanding career opportunities for local residents while strengthening the city’s tax base. This investment is a true win for our community and the state of Michigan.”
The MBDP funds will also help offset the extensive costs associated with the machinery upgrades and facility renovations, positioning the company to become a strong employer in the Port Huron area.
