According to local news, global packaging company Graphic Packaging International LLC is closing its Grand Rapids-area plant, resulting in the layoff of 111 employees as part of a consolidation effort.
The closure is scheduled to be completed by the end of Q2, 2024. The decision was made after evaluating the company's converting portfolio. The first employee separations are expected to begin on March 11, with the closure date depending on business plan factors. Graphic Packaging is offering assistance to affected employees, encouraging them to apply for other positions within the company and providing outplacement services.
The Atlanta-based company produces fiber-based consumer packaging and operates over 100 facilities globally. This closure follows Graphic Packaging's earlier announcement of shutting down a recycled paperboard mill in Battle Creek, resulting in 200 layoffs. The company simultaneously revealed a $600 million expansion in Kalamazoo.
The closure of the Wyoming plant coincides with Graphic Packaging's shutdown of a conversion plant in Charlotte, N.C., affecting around 112 employees. In its latest quarterly financial report, parent company Graphic Packaging Holding Company noted a 4% decrease in net sales, amounting to approximately $2.3 billion, compared to the same quarter in 2022.
About Graphic Packaging Holding Company
Graphic Packaging Holding Company, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, designs and produces consumer packaging.
