Dayton to Meet with Employees of Georgia-Pacific Plant

Gov. Mark Dayton will be in Duluth later this morning to meet with employees of Georgia-Pacific.

The plant is closing at the end of the month, leaving 140 people without jobs. The company manufactures Superwood, which is a thin hardboard used by automakers. Georgia-Pacific will shift the manufacturing of Superwood to other facilities, the company said.

Employees will get pay and benefits for 60 days.

The news came as a disappointment to Mayor Don Ness, who said in a statement that the company previously had assured him it would keep the plant open.

"We will start working immediately to support new operations at the plant," Ness said. "Meanwhile, our focus will be on the work force that will be displaced. This is unfortunate and untimely news for our community."

"We realize this is a difficult decision and it is going to impact the community," said Eric Abercrombie, Georgia-Pacific spokesman in Atlanta. "The decision was made after a thorough review to optimize the business. That was based on the long-term vision for Georgia-Pacific wood products."

Georgia-Pacific will reallocate any useable equipment at the Duluth plant and sell remaining assets, according to the Duluth News Tribune.

The Atlanta-based company manufactures tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.