In preparation for this closure, the plant's operations will be redirected progressively towards the other Norampac Québec based plants that already serve the greater Montreal region. Nearly 50 employees will be affected by this closure, which will occur before the end of this year.
"The decision to cease operations at the Le Gardeur plant can be explained by the necessity to continue the consolidation of our Québec operations. In fact, demand in the Canadian corrugated industry has been affected by unfavorable economic conditions for the past few years and it is imperative that we make the adjustments to take into account this new reality. This initiative will therefore allow us to optimize our production in the province, reduce our costs, and improve our profitability, while continuing to offer quality services to our customers," said Marc-André Dépin, president and CEO of Norampac.
To help employees affected by the closure, Norampac has prepared a relocation program throughout its other facilities and will offer assistance regarding employment searches. Cascades has some 11,000 employees in more than 100 units located in North America and Europe.
TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/