Wausau Paper

Wausau Paper was an American pulp and paper company whose principal business was the manufacture, conversion, and sale of towel and tissue products for the away-from-home market. Based in Wausau, Wisconsin, the company operated in the commercial and institutional paper-products segment rather than primarily serving household consumers. Its product offering included paper towels and tissue products sold together with related soap and dispensing systems for workplaces, public facilities, hospitality venues, healthcare settings, and other high-traffic environments. The company was incorporated on June 9, 1899, and developed into a specialized paper-products manufacturer with production and converting capabilities in the United States. By 2014, its operating footprint consisted of manufacturing facilities in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and Middletown, Ohio, together with a support-services center in Mosinee, Wisconsin. The business had approximately 870 employees as of December 2014. Wausau Paper's commercial model centered on integrated away-from-home hygiene solutions. Rather than selling only standalone rolls or sheets, it marketed towel and tissue products alongside dispensing equipment and soap systems. This approach connected consumable paper products with the operational needs of janitorial distributors, facility managers, and institutional customers. Its portfolio therefore competed on factors such as dispensing compatibility, usage efficiency, service reliability, and suitability for commercial facilities. The company was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WPP. In the mid-2010s, Wausau Paper concentrated on its away-from-home towel and tissue operations after operating as a broader pulp and paper enterprise. SCA Tissue North America acquired Wausau Paper on January 21, 2016, in a transaction valued at approximately $513 million. The acquisition ended Wausau Paper's independent corporate existence, and its stock was removed from the NYSE on the same day. The company is therefore best understood as a defunct American paper-products company whose operating assets and business activities became part of SCA's North American tissue operations.

Wausau Paper was incorporated on June 9, 1899, in Wisconsin and became associated with the paper-manufacturing tradition of Wausau and the surrounding region. Over the course of its existence, it operated as a pulp and paper company involved in manufacturing, converting, and selling paper and paper products. The company ultimately developed a principal business in away-from-home towel and tissue products, serving commercial and institutional users rather than focusing primarily on consumer retail paper goods. Its operating model combined paper manufacturing and converting with the sale of finished hygiene products. Wausau Paper supplied towel and tissue lines for facilities where paper products are consumed outside the home, including workplaces, public buildings, hospitality locations, healthcare environments, and other managed facilities. It also marketed associated soap and dispensing systems, allowing customers to purchase a broader set of restroom and hand-hygiene solutions from one supplier. This combination made the company relevant to facility operators and distribution partners seeking compatible consumables and dispensing equipment. By May 2014, Wausau Paper reported two operating facilities and a services center spread across three states. Its manufacturing operations were located in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and Middletown, Ohio, while support services were based in Mosinee, Wisconsin. The company had approximately 870 employees as of December 2014. During this period, the business was described as operating principally in the away-from-home towel and tissue segment of the paper industry. Wausau Paper was also a public company. Its shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker WPP. In the years immediately preceding its sale, the company was positioned as a focused supplier of commercial towel and tissue products, with related soap and dispensing systems forming part of its market proposition. Its history reflects the broader evolution of traditional paper manufacturers toward specialized, service-oriented tissue and hygiene categories. On January 21, 2016, SCA Tissue North America acquired Wausau Paper for approximately $513 million. The transaction transferred the company into SCA's North American tissue operations and ended Wausau Paper's status as an independent public company. Its stock was removed from the NYSE on the same date. Following the transaction, Wausau Paper ceased to operate as a standalone corporate entity, although its manufacturing capabilities, products, and customer relationships were incorporated into the acquiring organization's business.

• 2016

  Acquisition by SCA Tissue North America

  [1]Wausau Paperen.wikipedia.org

  SCA Tissue North America acquired Wausau Paper on January 21, 2016, for approximately $513 million, and Wausau Paper's NYSE listing was removed.

• 2014

  United States operating footprint documented

  [1]Wausau Paperen.wikipedia.org

  The company operated manufacturing facilities in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and Middletown, Ohio, with a support-services facility in Mosinee, Wisconsin; it had approximately 870 employees as of December.

• 1899

  Wausau Paper incorporated

  [1]Wausau Paperen.wikipedia.org

  Wausau Paper Corp. was incorporated on June 9, 1899.

A business-to-business paper-products supplier focused on commercial, institutional, and other away-from-home hygiene environments.

• Commercial paper towels

  Away-from-home towel products

  Paper towel products intended for commercial and institutional facilities rather than household use. They were marketed for environments such as workplaces, public facilities, hospitality venues, and other locations requiring managed hand-drying services. The products formed the central part of Wausau Paper's away-from-home business and were offered in conjunction with compatible dispensing systems.

• Commercial tissue

  Away-from-home tissue products

  Tissue products supplied for non-residential settings and managed facility environments. Wausau Paper's tissue business addressed recurring consumable needs in commercial and institutional locations, with product formats designed to work within broader restroom and hygiene programs. The line was part of the company's principal towel and tissue segment.

• Commercial hygiene systems

  Soap and dispensing systems

  Related soap products and dispensing equipment marketed alongside paper towels and tissue. These systems extended Wausau Paper's offering beyond paper consumables and supported facility-level hygiene programs. The combination of consumables, soap, and dispensers was intended to provide compatible solutions for away-from-home customers.

• 2016

  Sale to SCA Tissue North AmericaM&A

  Background

  Wausau Paper operated as a specialized supplier in the away-from-home towel and tissue segment and remained publicly traded under the WPP ticker before the transaction.

  Action taken

  SCA Tissue North America acquired Wausau Paper on January 21, 2016, for approximately $513 million. The company's NYSE listing was removed on the same day.

  Aftermath

  Wausau Paper ceased to exist as an independent public company and its operations became part of SCA Tissue North America's North American business.

  Acquisition value. $513 million (2016 acquisition)

  Source

• 2016

  SCA Tissue North America acquired Wausau Paper[1]Wausau Paperen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  SCA Tissue North America completed its acquisition of Wausau Paper on January 21, 2016, in a transaction valued at approximately $513 million. Wausau Paper's NYSE listing ended on the same day.

1. 1Wausau Paperen.wikipedia.org