Packaging Corp. of America to lay off 110 tied to Chesterfield facility

The Illinois-based Packaging Corp. of America, the third-largest producer of containerboard in the United States, plans to close a Chesterfield County converting operation, leaving 110 employees out of work, a notice to the state dated March 31 reported.

Employees are slated to lose their jobs the first week of June, according to a letter sent by Mark J. Romaniuk, deputy general counsel at Packaging Corp. of America, or PCA, in compliance with the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

“This was a difficult business decision; it is in no way a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our valued employees,” Romaniuk wrote.

Hourly production and maintenance employees are represented by the United Steelworkers Local 8-699, according to the notice.

A few of the facility’s employees may be asked to stay beyond early June, but they too will lose their jobs by the end of the month.

The letter noted six PCA employees work at a satellite warehouse at 2903 Walmsley Blvd. in North Chesterfield. “PCA intends to continue operating the warehouse and will engage in discussions with the USW regarding ongoing staffing of the facility,” the notice stated.

“PCA will offer support to all affected employees, including coordinating with the union representing Richmond employees and working with state and local government officials to provide dislocated worker assistance,” a PCA spokesperson wrote in a statement. “We will also assist those interested in transferring to another PCA location with available positions.”

In December 2025, PCA announced plans to shut down the No. 2 paper machine and kraft pulping facilities at a Washington containerboard mill. About 200 jobs were cut, according to news reports. In October 2025, news outlets reported PCA planned to shutter a corrugated packaging plant in Salisbury, North Carolina, with 108 employees losing their jobs, and another in Allentown, Pennsylvania, affecting 60 employees.

On Sept. 2, 2025, PCA completed the purchase of Ohio-based Greif’s containerboard business for $1.8 billion. Greif is an industrial packaging products and services company. Early in 2026, PCA announced a $70-per-ton price increase for containerboard that was to go into effect March 1, according to news reports.

According to its website, PCA has approximately 15,400 employees, with operations primarily in the United States. The company reported 2025 net income of $774 million, down from $805 million in 2024.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a statement from a PCA spokesperson.