By the end of September, about 1,100 workers in Savannah and Riceboro will lose their jobs when International Paper closes two historic mills.
For nearly a century, the Savannah mill has anchored local families, small businesses, timber growers and loggers, and their closures will send shock waves through every corner of our region.
These closures aren’t just corporate cost-cutting. They are an economic crisis. Timber growers will lose contracts. Truckers and heavy-equipment operators will lose hauling routes. Chatham and Liberty counties stand to lose millions in tax revenue and utility fees.
In 2022, Georgia’s forest industry generated roughly $42 billion in total economic activity and supported more than 140,000 jobs statewide, including in the 1st Congressional District, according to a Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation report.
In 2024, the United States imported nearly $20 billion worth of pulp and paper products, with Canada and Mexico together accounting for about 40% of the total. Yet, at the same time, legacy mills in places like Savannah are being shut down, leaving working families behind and communities deeply affected.