Memphis, Tennessee based International Paper has announced its plans to permanently close its container plant in Georgetown, South Carolina, by year’s end. Layoffs impacting 126 employees will happen between May 1 and December 31, according to a notice filed with the state.
International Paper recently “completed a strategic assessment” of both the facility and the region. The facility “has been a valuable part of the company for a number of years,” said Amy Simpson, IP’s head of communications, in an email earlier this month. “We will assist employees and customers through this transition.”
This follows a major downsizing in Georgetown at the end of 2024. International Paper closed its pulp and paper mill there, impacting 674 jobs, to cut complexity and costs. That site was less focused on packaging; it produced roughly 300,000 tons of fluff pulp for consumer products like diapers. IP later sold its global cellulose fibers business in 2025 to private equity firm American Industrial Partners for $1.5 billion…