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The International Paper plant is located at 140 W. Santa Barbara Street and is scheduled to close in June. |
International Paper to close June 19, more than 60 jobs eliminated
April 25, 2012
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
More than 60 International Paper employees at the Santa Paula container plant were told Friday morning that the West Santa Barbara Street facility would be closing June 19. Employees were also told they could take the rest of the day off with pay to start dealing with the loss of their jobs.
And although told they would be eligible for employment at other International Paper facilities they would have to reapply for any open positions and lose workplace seniority if hired.
A company representative issued a press release that International Paper’s purchase of rival Temple-Inland Inc. has left the company with more capacity that outstrips customer demand.
“Workers were told because of all the mergers, the purchase of Temple-Inland,” the Santa Paula plant would close said an anonymous employee who has been with the plant - formerly Weyerhaeuser Co. - for almost 30 years.
The employee said those union members laid off would retain their union benefits but, “Will lose seniority, would be starting all over... I know some who have worked here for close to 40 years,” and most of those that work at International Paper are Santa Paula residents.
The closure, he noted, “Will really affect the city,” already having one of the highest unemployment rates in Ventura County.
On a personal level the source said the action has been very hard for employees to deal with, many like himself who have long company experience.
“Some have been there they’re whole life,” he noted. “A lot of the employees are really, really shocked.”
The Santa Paula plant was reportedly the second highest producing plant in the region - it ran several shifts - with an outstanding safety record.
The facility produces corrugated boxes from flat sheet stock manufactured in Oxnard/Port Hueneme.
There is another such assembly plant in Camarillo.
International Paper has a container plant in Camarillo and a mill in Oxnard known as the Hueneme facility. There are no plans to close the Oxnard plant or any other location at this time.
The approximately $3.7 billion acquisition of Temple-Inland produced antitrust concerns because International Paper is the largest producer of corrugated packaging in North America and Temple-Inland is ranked third.
In February, the U.S. Justice Department approved the merger on the condition that three mills are sold within four months, with a chance for extensions on the time frame.
The Oxnard site - known as the Hueneme plant - was one of the mills chosen for the holdings’ downsizing and is up for sale. That plant has about 90 workers at the facility, employees and contract workers.
Publicly traded International Paper has plants throughout the U.S. and in
Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa.
