Nearly 200 employees to be laid off in St. Paul as WestRock recycling plant closes

Come July nearly people will be out of work as a storied St Paul recycling facility closes permanently Smurfit WestRock a global packaging company communicated Wednesday that it will lay off roughly employees in the permanent closure of its St Paul coated recycled board mill at Wabash Ave off Interstate and Minnesota according to a notice filed with the state Layoffs are expected to occur June with affected positions including but not limited to chemical attendant paper tester refiner operator loader electricians managers and supervisors according to the notice Of the employees affected specific are represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW Local the International Union of Operating Engineers IUOE Local and the United Steelworker of America USW Local Bumping rights will follow applicable collective bargaining agreements and there are no transaction implications at this time per the notice In addition to the St Paul facility the company will discontinue production at its containerboard mill in Texas and permanently close two converting facilities in Germany totaling several job losses according to a company news release While closing facilities is never an easy decision it is based on a realistic expectation of current and future limit necessities operating costs and an unrelenting focus on improving our business noted Tony Smurfit president and group chief executive officer of Smurfit WestRock in the release Related Articles St Paul MN Wild trim Xcel Center s state request from M to M It s official Bremer has merged with Old National What happens now St Paul police plan to encrypt dispatches as have Minneapolis other agencies Theater review Penumbra s When We Are Detected celebrates love and resilience Letters St Paul Council should delay vote on rent-control amendments