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In April, packaging manufacturers announced forthcoming site closures spanning California, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas:
- Case Paper Co., a New York-based paperboard solutions company, disclosed in an April 16 WARN notice that it will permanently close a facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The closure is effective June 15 and slated to affect 18 employees. The 103,250-square-foot Los Angeles-area site converts 8.4 million pounds per year and stocks 100% recycled paper and board grades from the Monadnock Paper Mills, according to Case’s website.
- Hood Container is permanently closing a facility in Simpsonville, South Carolina, per an April 15 WARN notice. Come June 15, 60 workers will be impacted. This location is a warehousing and sheet plant, according to Hood’s website.
- Graphic Packaging International announced April 1 it would close its coated recycled paperboard manufacturing facility in Middletown, Ohio. Some 130 employees will be impacted around June 1. GPI is working to consolidate production at newer mills in Waco, Texas, and Kalamazoo, Michigan.
- Smurfit Westrock announced April 8 it would close a corrugated products plant in Portland, Oregon. The first phase of layoffs, impacting 72 workers, is slated to begin in June. The permanent shutdown is expected to exceed 60 days and be a phased process. At the end of the month, the company announced additional actions slated to affect 650 employees. Smurfit Westrock said there are forthcoming shutdowns at mills in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Forney, Texas, and that it has initiated talks about shuttering two converting facilities in Germany.
Other updates
- O-I Glass announced on April 8 that it’s considering changes to its business in France following a slowdown in the wine market, along with “overcapacity and strong competition,” the company said in a press release. O-I is weighing operational adjustments at three different sites as well as at its French headquarters, and is considering ceasing production of one furnace at a plant in Vayres. It may also close its plant in Vergèze. Altogether, these actions could impact a net total of 320 positions.
