International Paper said in October it would shut down its operations in Isle of Wight County, Va., phasing out 1,100 jobs in 2010, the Newport News, Va., Daily Press reported Wednesday.
In the first wave of cuts, International Paper said its Machine No. 1 plant, where coated paperboard is made, would close Thursday.
Vernon Baugham, with 24-years experience at the company that also employed his father, was among the first to be let go. "I feel sad for the whole area. We're seeing what's been going on in other parts of the country for a long time," he said.
The Labor Department mitigated some worries last week saying former International Paper employees would qualify for Trade Adjustment Assistance, a program that provides skills training and additional income support for those who lose jobs due to an increase in imports.
"People have always said Franklin would be a ghost town if it weren't for the paper mill. But I feel like something pretty big will be heading for Franklin in the next couple of years," Baugham said.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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