{"id":5071,"date":"2025-01-30T03:31:14","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T08:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=5071"},"modified":"2025-01-30T03:31:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T08:31:14","slug":"greif-announces-two-closures-in-us-impacting-140-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=5071","title":{"rendered":"Greif announces two closures in US, impacting 140 jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The company plans to end A1 asset production by March and close the Fitchburg mill by May. Credit: Cassiohabib via Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Industrial packaging products and services provider Greif<\/a> will permanently cease production on its Number 1 Paperboard Machine (A1), a non-integrated uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) asset, located in Austell, Georgia, US, by the end of March 2025.<\/p>\n

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Additionally, its containerboard and URB mill in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, will be permanently shut down by May 2025.<\/p>\n

This strategic move will impact approximately 140 jobs.<\/p>\n

Greif president and CEO Ole Rosgaard said: \u201cDecisions like these are extremely difficult because of the impact it has on our colleagues and their families, as well as the larger community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are grateful to our colleagues in Austell and Fitchburg for their contributions to the company and are committed to helping them navigate [the] next steps by providing severance benefits and outplacement assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision to cease production at A1 was influenced by increasing costs and a decline in demand within key end-use markets such as furniture, books, and binders.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, high operating costs coupled with the need for substantial capital investment prompted the Fitchburg mill\u2019s closure.<\/p>\n

These closures will reduce Greif\u2019s containerboard capacity by 100,000 tons (t) and URB capacity by 90,000t.<\/p>\n

Rosgaard added: \u201cThese strategic actions will refine our participation in the market and help us maximise the profitability of our mill network and our overall business portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greif offers a wide range of products such as steel, plastic, and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, jerrycans, and other small plastics.<\/p>\n

In addition to these products, Greif manufactures containerboard, corrugated sheets and products, uncoated and coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores, and a variety of speciality products.<\/p>\n

It also offers packaging accessories and services to a broad spectrum of industries.<\/p>\n

Greif employs over 14,000 people and operates more than 250 facilities in 37 countries.<\/p>\n

Last month, Greif introduced<\/a> the ModCan modular packaging solution at Pack-Expo in Chicago, US.<\/p>\n

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