ATLANTA (From news reports) -- Graphic Packaging Holding Company announced the impending permanent closure of its Middletown, Ohio, paperboard manufacturing facility, anticipated on or around June 1, 2025. This move is set to impact around 130 employees and is a strategic step in the company's broader plan to consolidate its recycled paperboard production.

The consolidation strategy aims to centralize operations within its Kalamazoo, Michigan, location and a new facility in Waco, Texas, which is slated to start commercial production later in the year. Graphic Packaging is committed to supporting the affected Middletown employees by providing assistance for employment placement.

President and CEO Michael Doss expressed gratitude towards the Middletown team for their contributions to the company's growth and success. He also emphasized that the investments in the Kalamazoo and Waco facilities are crucial for delivering value to customers by producing the highest quality and most cost-effective paperboard in North America.

The closure of the Middletown plant is aligned with Graphic Packaging's strategy to enhance its competitive edge in paperboard manufacturing and to improve environmental performance, particularly in water and energy efficiency.

Graphic Packaging is recognized for its innovation and operational capabilities in the sustainable consumer packaging market. The company's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of consumer packaging is evident in its global network of design and manufacturing facilities that serve a wide array of brands in various consumer product sectors.

The company's forward-looking statements regarding the timing of the Middletown facility closure and the commencement of operations at the Waco facility, along with expected environmental advancements, are based on current information and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.