International Paper to close 4 Georgia mills, affecting 1,100 workers

SAVANNAH — Paper products giant International Paper is shuttering four southeast Georgia facilities, including a nearly 90-year-old mill in Savannah that was the city’s first major manufacturer.

The closures will affect 1,100 hourly and salaried workers in Savannah, neighboring Port Wentworth and Riceboro, located about 45 minutes south of Savannah in Liberty County. According to International Paper, the shutdowns will be completed by Sept. 30.

The plants make containerboard — cardboard boxes and other packaging materials — and the closures are part of a broader initiative to reduce International Paper’s annual containerboard capacity by 1 million tons.

“We understand how deeply these decisions affect our employees, their loved ones, and the surrounding communities,” Tom Hamic, executiv