More than 70 layoffs coming as packaging manufacturer closing plant outside Charlotte
A packaging manufacturing company is closing its Iredell County facility, putting dozens of people out of work shortly before Christmas.
International Paper Co. is closing its Statesville container plant at 930 Meacham Road, resulting in 74 layoffs, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) received Friday by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The facility, about 40 miles north of Charlotte, is expected to close Dec. 16.
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, International Paper is a global producer of sustainable packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products.
Jobs affected range from press operator and maintenance roles to administrative and management positions.
All employees may apply for jobs at other International Paper facilities, Jim Macomson, region human resources manager, said in the report.
A separate, offsite warehouse at 2360 Northside Drive in Statesville that supports the paper plant will not be affected by the closure, according to the report.
The WARN report does not say why the plant is closing. International Paper officials weren’t immediately available Monday for comment.
More layoffs
The North Carolina site is among four plant closings nationwide prompting hundreds of layoffs, industry publication Packaging Dive reported Monday. Other facilities closing are in Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee.
International Paper also is cutting 650 jobs at its headquarters and a manufacturing site in Texas as part of a “transformational journey” to become more profitable, Packaging Dive reported.
International Paper isn’t the only packaging company to close in the Charlotte region in the past year.
In March, Atlanta-based Graphic Packaging International closed its plant at 800 Westinghouse Blvd., resulting in 112 layoffs.
Last December, another Atlanta-based company, Hood Container, closed its Mecklenburg County site in Matthews, cutting 88 jobs.
More about International Paper
International Paper has several facilities in the Carolinas, including container plants in Newton and Charlotte, according to the company’s website. Retail and recycling centers also are located in Charlotte.
International Paper has 39,000 employees worldwide with manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin America and North Africa, according to its website. The 126-year-old company’s net sales in 2023 were $18.9 billion.