Georgia-Pacific will shut part of Camas mill
Mill will shutter communication papers equipment next spring, keep about 140 employees to run tissue papers machine
Georgia-Pacific will shutter the communication papers machine at the Camas paper mill next spring, permanently laying off more than two-thirds of its local employees.
“It’s surprising and not surprising,” Camas Mayor Scott Higgins said, after the news went public. “The mill has been having less employees for quite some time now. But it’s still shocking and this is a big loss, especially for the employees, for their families.”
Although teams will continue to operate the communication papers machine for the next few months, a complete shutdown of the Camas mill’s communication paper machine, fine paper converting assets, pulping operations and related equipment is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2018. The restructuring will impact 280 to 300 Camas employees.
About 120 to 140 employees will stay on to run the Camas mill’s remaining tissue paper machines and related equipment.
“Camas employees have done an excellent job operating and maintaining the communication papers assets for as long as they have. However, economic impacts from the continuing decline in demand for communication papers make it necessary to discontinue operations for uncoated freesheet at Camas. Georgia-Pacific will continue manufacturing communication papers at our Port Hudson, Louisiana, facility,” Mike Adams said.
