GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – A paper mill that residents and officials say was the heart of Georgetown will close its doors completely next month.

A letter obtained by WMBF News through the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce indicates that machinery and other operations at the International Paper mill in Georgetown will be shut down by December 17.

The letter was sent pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, or WARN. It also indicates that approximately 675 employees are expected to be affected by the closure.

The WARN Act letter adds that early employees, who are primarily hourly paid and represented by a union, will begin to stop working around January 5, 2025.

“As this is a permanent closure of the entire facility, no bumping rights will exist for affected employees,” the letter states. “There is also no possibility for the employees concerned to exercise their bumping rights. All employees can apply for available positions at any other International Paper facility.

International Paper previously said all affected employees will be offered severance packages, as well as outplacement services and access to mental health resources.

REACTIONS KEEP COMING IN

Will Freeman and his brother are from Georgetown and told WMBF News their grandfather worked at the factory for 30 years.

“I didn’t plan on this,” he said. “And obviously neither do the workers, which I think is the saddest thing about this. We didn’t have time to prepare.

Freeman says he now helps people affected by the shutdown by writing resumes. He’s not the only one to lend help, either.

“We think we can help veterans with some of our resources,” said Curtis Cain, postal service agent for VFW Post 10420. “We are happy to have the community support.”

Cain said he is working to host job fairs, share job postings and find new ways to help veterans who are among the hundreds affected by the shutdown. ‘factory. The VFW is also joined in this support by the Georgetown Craft Credit Union, a bank created to help workers save and borrow money.

“This was a surprise and a shock to many of us,” said Nikki Ewing, vice president of marketing at Georgetown Kraft Credit Union. “I think it’s something we’re going to work on and come out the other side.”

In 2000, the bank joined a community charter allowing others to do business with it. Even though the bank itself is not directly affected, it says it will not leave behind those who built it.

“Any employees who are going through this transition to figure out what their next steps are, we will definitely be there for them,” Ewing said.

And while the plant’s closing has rocked Georgetown County, those who live in the area are offering advice to their neighbors to help everyone move forward.

“Talk to each other, lean on each other,” Freeman said. “It’s just the right time for this community that is experiencing this loss to come together and get back on their feet.”

MORE RESOURCES, HELP PROVIDED

Georgetown County also released a statement Friday afternoon saying it was providing resources to help employees who lose their jobs.

“Georgetown County and partner organizations have begun to formulate a coordinated assistance plan to mitigate the economic and social impact of the closure,” the county said in its statement. “Initial response efforts include Georgetown County Economic Development, SC Department of Employment and Workforce, City of Georgetown, Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments and the Chamber of Commerce of Georgetown County, among others. This group met with IP leaders to better understand the closure plans and the benefits laid-off employees will receive. Next, they developed a multi-phase support strategy.

The county also said SC Works will set up at the plant Nov. 6-8 to help employees write their resumes and answer any job search questions. Entrepreneurs affected by the closure are also invited to attend.

Georgetown County will also host a two-day job fair at its Howard Center on Hawkins Street, Nov. 21-22. Employers can register to participate by calling 843-545-3161.

The plant, located outside the city limits, produces approximately 300,000 tonnes of flake pulp for use in a wide range of products, including baby diapers. The mill also produces uncoated fine papers for another paper mill under a contract that expires at the end of the year.

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