MICHIGAN (From news reports) -- A long-idle paper manufacturing site in Port Huron is moving closer to redevelopment with new state support.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that Legacy Port Huron Paper Company plans a 24.5-million-dollar investment at the former Domtar paper mill site in Port Huron. The announcement was part of a statewide economic development update that included a second expansion project in Midland County.
According to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Port Huron project will be supported by a one-million-dollar performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund through the Michigan Business Development Program. The full funds will only be distributed if the company meets agreed-upon investment and job-creation milestones.
Legacy Port Huron Paper, a subsidiary of the Ontario-based BMI Group, plans to repurpose nearly 400,000 square feet across nine buildings at the former Domtar site at 1700 Washington Avenue, converting the space for paper manufacturing, warehousing, and other industrial uses.
State officials say the project could generate more than 82 new jobs with possible starting wages of $27 per hour, exceeding the regional median wage.
The announcement builds on plans first revealed last year. In June of 2025, Legacy Paper Group announced it would restart one paper machine at the Port Huron facility, bringing paper production back to the site for the first time since Domtar phased out operations in 2021. That initial plan was expected to create 45 to 50 jobs and focus on lightweight specialty papers used in food service and packaging.
The Domtar mill, which operated under various owners dating back to 1888, officially closed in 2020, with operations winding down the following year with roughly 200 jobs lost. BMI Group purchased the property in September 2024, adding another acquisition of a previously shuttered paper mill site to the company's growing portfolio.
State officials emphasized that job and investment figures represent commitments made by Legacy Port Huron Paper and will be formalized through a performance-based agreement, with funding subject to change if conditions are not met.
