Georgia-Pacific closing Mississippi mill indefinitely

GLOSTER, MISSISSIPPI - The Georgia-Pacific Corp. plywood mill in Gloster will shutdown indefinitely Dec. 1 because of poor market conditions, officials said. <br> <br> The mill, in operation since 1967, employs 320 workers in southwest Mississippi. It will be one of three mills that will close, said GP spokesman James Malone. <br> <br> ``Suspending operations at selected facilities is necessary to address the recent decline in commercial and industrial market demand for these wood products,&#39;&#39; Malone said Friday. <br> <br> GP plywood mills in Talledega, Ala. and Russelville, S.C. will also close indefinitely. <br> <br> ``We will watch the market closely and respond. It&#39;s not something just related to us it&#39;s the overall condition of the market,&#39;&#39; Malone said. <br> <br> Gloster plant manager Glen Brown said a small staff will stay on at the mill to handle maintenance details and ship out the remaining inventory after the shutdown. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s not good news for Gloster or for southwest Mississippi,&#39;&#39; said Gloster Mayor Bill Adams. ``The employees at the mill will obviously be affected, but the greatest impact will be felt in support industries.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> GP employees were trying to come to grips with the news Friday. <br> <br> ``We were all laughing to keep from crying today,&#39;&#39; said Elliot Davis, a machine operator who has worked at the Gloster mill for 29 years. <br> <br> ``But we just hope this will not be permanent. They met with us and we hope to be running again as soon as the market improves,&#39;&#39; said Davis. ``Until then, we will just have to sign up for unemployment and start looking.&#39;&#39;