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Packaging manufacturers — largely those specializing in paper — detailed upcoming closures and layoffs during the month of June:
- Hood Packaging is closing a paper packaging site in Vancouver, Washington, come Aug. 1, according to a June 3 notice. This will affect 94 workers. Hood acquired the operation from Bemis Co. in 2014, local news outlet The Columbian reported.
- International Paper disclosed more changes to its North American manufacturing footprint in June. It announced upcoming closures of a packaging facility in Marion, Ohio, affecting 107 employees, and a recycling facility in Wichita, Kansas, affecting 16 employees.
- Pixelle Specialty Solutions, which makes specialty papers for printing and packaging, issued a notice saying it will permanently cease manufacturing at a mill in Chillicothe, Ohio, and begin conducting layoffs come Aug. 10. The total number of jobs impacted is 780. Back in April, Pixelle announced plans to shutter the mill, but shortly thereafter said it planned to delay the closure until the end of the year. “Since the issuance of the original WARN notice, there has been meaningful engagement from both local and state government officials who have actively partnered with Pixelle Specialty Solutions in an effort to identify a viable buyer for the Chillicothe facility,” the June letter states. “Despite these collective efforts, a buyer has not been secured. Additionally, we have experienced a significant decline in order volume and a sharp increase in employee departures. As a result, we will be unable to continue operations at the facility.”
- Pratt Industries said in a June 10 notice in Michigan that it will lay off 53 workers in Livonia come Aug. 10. Pratt said the reason for the layoffs was reduced business, writing in the notice that “Ford has decided to end the relationship with company.” The packaging manufacturers lists the Livonia location as a transportation site.
Other updates
- Metsä Fibre initiated a temporary production shutdown at its Joutseno pulp mill in Finland beginning June 9. “This temporary production shutdown enables us to adjust our pulp inventory levels to match the low order volumes from Asia and the uncertain market situation,” CEO Ismo Nousiainen said in a statement.
