Employees at Georgia-Pacific’s corrugated plant in Mt. Olive, IL, were told at the end of October of the plans to permanently close the facility by December 31. The plant will continue to operate for the next 60 days followed by a safe and orderly shutdown. Approximately 134 jobs will be impacted by this closure.
“We are working to support those employees with potential opportunities within Georgia-Pacific and other Koch companies or connecting with job fairs and opportunities for employment outside the company. Hourly employees are represented by the United Steelworkers, and we will soon begin bargaining the effects of this decision as spelled out in the current contract,” said the company in a statement on its website. “We appreciate all the work our employees have done through the years to make this plant safe and productive. The decision to close the plant is not a reflection of their work but rather based on our ability to be competitive at this location in the long-term. Our focus over the next two months is to continue to safely operate the plant while supporting our employees during the transition. The plant property located at 900 S Route 66 and is owned by Georgia-Pacific. We will make decisions about the property once we have completely exited the building.”
