Chillicothe paper mill will close in August after stating it would remain open

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) — A paper mill that has been part of Chillicothe for centuries filed an updated mass layoff notice on Tuesday, less than two months after it announced it would remain open through 2025.

The new notice says the mill will shut down by Aug. 10.

“While the initial shutdown timing was paused in good faith, staffing levels and customer demand have declined in recent weeks such that a further delay is no longer possible,” the notice reads.

In April, Pixelle Paper Mill filed a WARN notice that it would be laying off about 800 workers and announced it would be shutting down the mill beginning in June. Days later, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) sent a scathing letter to the CEO of the paper mill’s parent company, calling the move “corporate greed” and criticizing the company for putting “profits over people.”

A day after Moreno’s letter, the company announced that it would remain open through 2025.

“We know it’s coming to an end,” President of United Steelworkers Local 731 Jeff Allen said. “The code workers know that their time’s short. Of course, the morale is very low. And, you know, it’s just shock and sadness, devastation. It was not the news we wanted to get.”

Allen said he’s a third-generation employee. Both his father and grandfather had worked at the mill. He also had two uncles who worked there.

“It’s raised our families. It’s raised the community. It’s brought other business in this area,” Allen said.

Pixelle said it is helping employees with career transition services and job placement assistance.

The company also noted that it is continuing to explore sale opportunities but is preparing a shutdown if there’s no qualified buyer. If there’s no sale, the paper mill property will be transferred to JobsOhio or another government entity for long-term redevelopment.

“Since news broke of the planned mill closure, Senator Moreno has been actively engaged with workers and community leaders in Chillicothe to ensure they have a seat at the table and their demands are clearly represented,” a spokesperson for Moreno’s office said in a statement to Nexstar’s WCMH.

The Chillicothe Chamber of Commerce also said in a statement that it was committed to helping those impacted.

“We want to assure you that the Chamber and our partners have been working tirelessly to secure a positive path forward for our community and those affected by the situation,” the statement reads.

“While change can be challenging, we remain optimistic about the future of this vital site. Transferring the 460-acre property into local hands is essential, ensuring our community will guide its redevelopment for long-term prosperity. This is a significant step that will enable us to bring new life and opportunities to Chillicothe.”

The chamber said JobsOhio has identified 4,500 openings within a 45-minute radius, and the workforce will also be provided soon with automation training and robotics to help provide for new opportunities.

Paper mills have been a part of Chillicothe since at least the 19th century.

Tim Jenkins, the vice president of United Steelworkers Local 731, said there’s a lot of fear and uncertainty.

“I guess we’re still holding out hope,” he said. “I mean, there’s a potential buyer in the mill right now looking at us. But what that means for us, we don’t know if it could be a buyer to do a lot less with this than what we’re doing now. So still, that fear — and it’s still devastating. It’s going to be devastating for the community for years to come.”

Jenkins said the workers at the mill are like family.

“We spend more time with each other than we do with our families,” he said. “And you feel responsible for the young people coming in now. We kind of adopted some of these kinds in trying to teach them how we do things here and what’s expected of you and how to do it. Now you feel like you’re failing them for just being in charge at the time it closes down.”

Resources for paper mill employees

A resource center opened on Monday at the Chillicothe and Ross Public Library Annex at 130 S. Paint Street. It was organized by the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, JobsOhio, Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, Ross County Board of Commissioners, and the Ross County OhioMeansJobs Center.

It will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from noon until 4 p.m. for workers to apply for jobs, receive resume help, get support, and learn about more resources.

On June 25, the state said JobsOhio, Ohio Means Jobs, Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce and Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center will hold a job fair from noon until 3 p.m. at Ohio University Chillicothe at the Shoemaker Center.

For up-to-date information and resources, workers and their families can visit Scioto Valley Forward, which includes events, job postings, business incentives and more.