Smurfit Westrock plans to close a Georgia facility and permanently lay off 55 employees, according to a worker adjustment and retraining notification filed with the state on Nov. 10.
The corrugated food service packaging plant in Atlanta is slated to close around Jan. 5, 2026, according to the WARN. A company spokesperson confirmed the January timeline via email.
This facility will close “as part of ongoing optimization,” the spokesperson said. “Production will transition to an improved Smurfit Westrock facility with expanded production capabilities, optimized logistics and certified to SQF standards.”
Smurfit Westrock has carried out a series of closures and layoffs since forming as a company last July via Smurfit Kappa’s acquisition of WestRock. CEO Tony Smurfit said during the company’s October earnings call that total company headcount has been reduced by 4,500 since the combination. He indicated nine facility closures had been announced as part of the optimization, and the company would continue to “rightsize the business by closing down inefficient or loss-making operations.”
In October, Smurfit Westrock announced its intention to close a corrugated sheet and box facility in California, affecting 141 employees. The company disclosed in August that it would close a corrugated products plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, affecting about 100 employees. In April, Smurfit Westrock announced four closures — in St. Paul, Minnesota; Forney, Texas; and Germany — that resulted in a total of approximately 650 employees cut.
The company is expanding production elsewhere. Recently it announced a nearly $19.3 million investment to boost production capacity by 50% at its corrugated plant in Saltillo, Mississippi. During the company’s May earnings call, executives described a plan to invest in 25 more efficient converting machines, with implementation slated to begin next year.
