HODGE, La. (AP) -- A planned shutdown at the Smurfit-Stone paper mill in Hodge has been moved back a few weeks. It means most workers at the Smurfit-Stone No. 5 machine will be out of a job from Dec. 12 to Jan. 1 instead of from Nov. 24 to Dec. 11.
A company spokesman confirmed last week that Smurfit-Stone would idle about 80 workers at its Hodge paper mill in Jackson Parish during a temporary shutdown of its No. 5 machine.
Smurfit-Stone is the second northeastern Louisiana paper mill to announce temporary layoffs because of weakening demand for its product.
International Paper will idle its entire Louisiana mill in Bastrop with separate shutdowns totaling seven weeks, including a three-week segment that started Sunday and a four-week period beginning Dec. 14.
