500 employees to be laid off at International Paper next week

[Redfairen]

Source: WAAY

COURTLAND, Ala. (WAAY) - As the shutdown of International Paper in Courtland continues, company officials said 500 employees will lose their jobs starting next week.

The latest round of layoffs comes as the company shuts down its final two paper machines. International Paper said certain equipment at the mill will need to continue operations, requiring about 200 employees to remain on site for an unspecified amount of time.

International Paper announced in September 2013 it would close down the Courtland facility, eliminating 1,100 jobs in Lawrence County. The company cited a decrease in its products as the cause of the shutdown.

Company officials offered positions at other facilities for some employees and held a job fair to help employees find other work.


Read more: http://m.waaytv.com/mobile/news/local/employees-to-be-laid-off-at-international-paper-next-week/article_f2352b4e-8cec-11e3-bb70-001a4bcf6878.html

[fasttense]

1. Our paper company shut down and went off to China years ago

Wal-Mart is laying off too and things are getting really sad around here.

This is how capitalism always works.. or doesn't work.

[bigdarryl]

2. DAMN!! fucked up

More people added to the unemployment

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Paper demand dwindling

as the country's investments in internet and computer technology continue

it's been a silent force ripping through the job market for 25 years

[melm00se]

4. Yup

Look around a modern office:

It used to be that you would see several printer scattered around each office floor with a photocopier on each floor with boxes of paper stacked up at or near them.

Fast forward to today:

one printer (maybe) per floor and admonishments to "think before you print".

Printer companies and paper companies are both impacted by this shift in philosophy

[DireStrike]

5. So why aren't fax machines going away?

C'mon guys, you bought the thing in 1987. You must have gotten your money's worth by now.

[seabeckind]

7. Misleading

The shift isn't to less paper, it is to a different use of the paper.

Offices aren't necessarily using less, it is that the single batch printer used by everyone has been replaced by a personal one and is hidden in a desk.

Then there's all the packing material.

I agree that this company has a reduced demand. But I think it's caused because those needing the paper have decided to get it somewhere else...far away.

{Sorry, responded in the wrong place}