MISSOULA – Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. has announced it is permanently closing mills in western Montana and Ontonagon, Mich.
The Montana mill, which is between Missoula and Frenchtown, has 417 employees and will continue operating until Dec. 31. The Ontonagon mill ceased operations in September. It had 182 employees.
Smurfit-Stone president and COO Steve Klinger said Monday the Missoula and Ontonagon facilities are high-cost facilities that do not provide adequate returns over the long term.
Smurfit-Stone filed for bankruptcy protection last January and expects to emerge from bankruptcy reorganization in the spring.