Georgia-Pacific lays off 270 as disrupted natural gas supply halts containerboard production in Toledo, Oregon
September 16, 2020
TOLEDO, Oregon (From news reports) -- Production was halted, and approximately 270 hourly workers at Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mill in Toledo were laid off on Monday evening.
Production of containerboard was halted at about 2 p.m. on Sept. 9 at the mill, Georgia-Pacific said in an email addressed to the community on Monday.
"Last week's wildfires in Lincoln County also disrupted the natural gas supply to the Georgia-Pacific containerboard mill in Toledo," wrote Public Affairs Manager C.J. Drake. "Since natural gas generates the steam needed to operate the mill, production of containerboard remains halted."
Drake said the mill's natural gas supplier, NW Natural, estimates supply will be restored to the mill by Friday, Sept. 18.
"We regret the necessity of taking this step, but obviously nobody could have predicted the suddenness with which the wildfires struck our area and the subsequent disruption of our natural gas supply, without which the mill cannot operate," Drake wrote in his email. Workers are asked to be ready to resume work on Thursday, Sept. 17, in anticipation of the restoration of the gas supply on Friday.
Drake wrote that Georgia-Pacific is doing everything possible to safely maintain the mill in a state of readiness to resume production when the gas supply is restored. "In the meantime, we extend our sympathies to those who experienced personal losses from the wildfires and encourage everyone to stay safe during these challenging times," he concluded.
