PORT HUDSON, LA – Georgia-Pacific announced today the dismissal of 650 workers due to a partial company shut down.

Sources say after an assessment of the company’s long-term competitive position, the decision was made to exit the communication papers business.

With this, the company will permanently shut down the communication papers machines, all related assets, as well as the woodyard, pulp mill and a most of the energy complex at the Port Hudson facility.

While communication papers and pulping will shut down, tissue and towel manufacturing will continue.

A Georgia-Pacific press release on the closure reads: “Georgia-Pacific will continue to operate and invest in the Port Hudson mill to support its growing consumer tissue and towel business. The Port Hudson facility, with its premium product tissue and towel machines and associated converting equipment, is a key contributor to the success of the Consumer Products Group’s retail business. The company will retain approximately 300 employees to manage those operations.”

The 650 employees who will no longer be needed have until mid-March, says the company.

Georgia-Pacific included in their press release that they are discussing with union leadership the potential to transfer some employees to other Georgia-Pacific locations.

Governor Edwards released a statement saying that although this is a difficult situation, the LWC  and the LED will work together to help laid-off workers find new employment. “We stand in solidarity with the employees of Georgia-Pacific during this difficult time. Our Louisiana Workforce Commission and Louisiana Economic Development teams will assist Georgia-Pacific employees in every way possible to use all resources to identify new jobs for laid-off workers and to assist them and their families.”