CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A year after the legacy Chillicothe paper mill shut down, paper manufacturing is returning to the city. On Wednesday, the owners of the former Pixelle paper mill announced the factory will once again produce paper. New owners U.S. Paper Mill Company (USPM) said they are hiring new employees for paper production, prioritizing some of the 800 former employees who lost their jobs when the Pixelle plant shut down in 2025. …USPM leadership said 13 current employees have been tasked with reviving the plant’s 12 paper machine, dubbed The Chief. USPM said The Chief will be fully operational by December. …Chillicothe has a rich history of paper production, with the first paper mill opening in the early 1800s. …USPM leaders said they are in discussions with multiple companies to explore paper manufacturing. They estimate as many as 350 new employees could be hired for paper operations within the next year.