SMART Papers announced Oct. 13 it has six to eight months to find a buyer for all or parts of its business on North B Street in Hamilton, or it will close. The paper maker has more than 200 employees, Chairman Tim Needham said at the time.
The company expects the second round of layoffs to happen sometime between Jan. 10 and 24. A third round is expected to happen between Feb. 15 and 29, according to the Job and Family Services letter.
The exact timing of the layoffs will depend on volume of customer orders, according to the letter.
“We had hoped to avoid this action,” the letter from SMART Chief Executive Officer Andrew Howley states. “The U.S. economic slowdown has intensified the effects of reduced commercial demand and the rapid expansion of low-priced Asian coated paper manufacturing, the increased costs of raw materials and chemicals, and the uncertainly of cost requirements of pending EPA legislation have all contributed to the decision to closing the facility.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or clevingston@coxohio.com.
About the Author