LOGANSPORT, La. (AP) — Georgia-Pacific Corp. is closing its plywood mill in this northwestern Louisiana town, a move that will put 280 employees out of work.
Atlanta-based Georgia Pacific said the decision was due to the current housing slump and expenses that would be required to improve the mill. Manufacturing operations have stopped and the existing inventory will be shipped over the next few weeks, the company said.
Georgia-Pacific built the plant in the mid-1970s. After being sold, it was later reacquired from Louisiana Pacific in a 2002 purchase that included other mills.
Company spokeswoman Julie Davis said a number of factors were evaluated before the decision was made to close the plant.
''We just couldn't see another viable alternative,'' Davis said. ''We always look at possible options but we did not see any other good option.''
Some workers will remain on site in the coming weeks to manage the closing process, Davis said.
The Georgia-Pacific plant is the No. 1 employer in western DeSoto Parish. It will pay $248,867 in property taxes this year, putting it in the top 20 taxpayers in the parish, according to tax records.
Five-year employee Pam Thomas said she and other workers had been idled for over two weeks before Tuesday's announcement.
''We felt it. A lot of people had the same feeling that something was about to happen,'' Thomas said.
