WestRock to Close Paper Mill in North Charleston, South Carolina
May 02 2023 - 04:15PM
Business Wire
WestRock Company (NYSE: WRK) today announced it will permanently
cease operating its paper mill in North Charleston, South Carolina,
on August 31, 2023.
“WestRock and its predecessor companies have had a long history
in the region operating the North Charleston mill, and the
contributions of the team members over the years have been greatly
appreciated,” said David B. Sewell, chief executive officer at
WestRock. “The decision to close a facility and impact the lives of
our team members is never easy, and we are committed to assisting
our North Charleston team with exploring roles at other WestRock
locations and outplacement assistance.”
The North Charleston mill produces containerboard, uncoated
kraft paper (KraftPak®), and unbleached saturating kraft paper
(DuraSorb®), with a combined annual capacity of 550,000 tons.
Containerboard and uncoated kraft currently produced at the mill
will be manufactured at other WestRock facilities. The Company
intends to exit the unbleached saturating kraft paper business when
the mill shutdown is completed.
WestRock is committed to improving its return on invested
capital as well as maximizing the performance of its assets. The
combination of high operating costs and the need for significant
capital investment were the determining factors in the decision to
cease operations at the mill.
The North Charleston mill employs approximately 500 people.
Employees will receive severance and outplacement assistance in
accordance with WestRock policy and labor union agreements.
About WestRock
WestRock (NYSE: WRK) is a global leader in sustainable paper and
packaging solutions, with more than 58,000 teammates in the
Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Our integrated packaging
capabilities offer end-to-end solutions to help customers address
their greatest challenges.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements are based on our current
expectations, beliefs, plans or forecasts and are typically
identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,”
“should,” “would,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,”
“intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “target,” “prospects,” “potential” and
“forecast,” and other words, terms and phrases of similar meaning.
Forward looking statements involve estimates, expectations,
projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and
uncertainties. We caution readers that forward-looking statements
are not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results
could differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
statements. Our businesses are subject to a number of general risks
that could affect any such forward-looking statements. These risks
are described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including in Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors”
in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30,
2022.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230501005655/en/
Media: Robby Johnson, 470-328-6397 Senior Manager,
Corporate Communications robby.b.johnson@westrock.com
Investors: Rob Quartaro, 470-328-6979 Senior Vice
President, Investor Relations robert.quartaro@westrock.com
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