MT. OLIVE — Georgia-Pacific, a manufacturer of packaging and paper products has announced it will permanently close its box-making facility in Mt. Olive by Dec. 31, 2025. The closure will affect approximately 134 workers at the plant, located at 900 S Route 66, which produces corrugated packaging materials, including cardboard boxes.
In an Oct. 30 news release, Georgia-Pacific said the decision to close the plant “is not a reflection of [employees’] work but rather based on our ability to be competitive at this location in the long-term.” The company expressed appreciation for the employees’ contributions to making the plant “safe and productive” over the years.
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Georgia-Pacific plans to continue operations for nearly two more months before initiating a “safe and orderly shutdown.”
The company will decide on the future of the property after the closure is complete. To assist affected workers, Georgia-Pacific will explore potential transfers within the company and connect employees to job fairs and opportunities for similar outside employment.
Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) released a statement addressing the closure, urging impacted workers to attend workshops and a job fair organized by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and partner agencies.
“No worker wants to hear that their livelihood is about to change, and my heart goes out to the families affected by this closure,” Budzinski said. “In moments like this, it’s essential that workers have immediate access to the support and resources they need to navigate what comes next.”
The DCEO, West Central Development Council (LWIA 21), Illinois Department of Employment Security, and the Illinois Department of Insurance through “Get Covered Illinois” will facilitate layoff assistance workshops on-site at Georgia-Pacific on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Dec. 10 at 7:15 a.m. A private, table-top job fair for impacted workers will be held Dec. 11 from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m..
For more information for those directly impacted, please visit: https://layoffs.illinoisworknet.com/GeorgiaPacificLLC-MountOlive
