SAVANNAH ― A nearly 90-year legacy as a papermaking hub will soon be diminished as International Paper shutters its Savannah-area operations. The world’s largest paper products manufacturer announced last week it would close two paper mills and two accompanying facilities in September, eliminating 1,100 jobs. …IP disclosed plans to reduce containerboard capacity by 1 million tons. Industry analysts say the move reflects International Paper’s ongoing pivot to make more packaging from recycled paper, which has a higher profit margin than pulp. …Yet Savannah officials parsed through IP’s earnings report for other clues — especially President Trump’s tariff strategy and elimination of the de minimis exemption on small orders. …Even if tariffs did play a contributing role, Savannah workers continue to ask, “Why us?”. …The Savannah-area mills operate in one of the most timber-rich parts of America and near the busiest paper product trade ports in the US. The Georgia Ports Authority handles about a fifth of US forestry exports. [to access the full story an Atlanta JC subscription is required]

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