Site looked at by Expera to expand operations in Rhinelander

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

The Rhinelander City Council approved a conditional use permit Monday for Expera Specialty Solutions to increase the height of the roof and stack of the vacant Printpack building at 114 W. Kemp St.

The CUP allows an increase in the building’s roof height to a maximum of 55 feet and the stack height to a maximum of 65 feet, for which the permit is necessary for the height to exceed 2 ½ stories or 35 feet.

Though Expera would have to purchase the building to use the permit, Expera’s Rhinelander mill manager, Jeff Verdoorn, declined comment when asked about Expera’s plans to obtain the property. He noted nothing has been finalized to use the site, which Printpack vacated to move into a new facility in the Rhinelander area along Hwy. 17.

Jeff Verdoorn

Verdoorn had appeared last month before the city Planning Commission regarding the permit application, in which Expera expressed an interest in the property as a prospective buyer and sought the modifications to allow for the installation of process equipment on the site, which is currently zoned for industrial use.

The written description of Expera’s application for the Kemp Street location states the company is seeking to purchase the facility where a process line would be installed. Though that activity would be similar to what Printpack had conducted there, some physical changes to be building would be necessary for the new process equipment, for which an increase in the roof height was sought.

The project description also stated it would be anticipated that the height of the stack will need to be increased to provide adequate clearance above the roof line.

Verdoorn told the Planning Commission that Expera is out of space at its existing Rhinelander facility to be able to do “more of the same” with the process equipment it currently has in place.

The process line would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the project description, and employ approximately 20 full-time personnel with the existing parking areas, egress and shipping docks being utilized by Expera for a new process line in the vacated Printpack building.