PORT HUDSON - Atlanta-based paper company Georgia-Pacific announced Thursday it's cutting about 650 jobs at its Port Hudson facility.

The company says roughly 650 jobs at the facility will ultimately be impacted by the communication papers and pulp asset closures. About 40 business and sales jobs also will be affected by this decision.

Georgia-Pacific says it will continue to operate and invest in the Port Hudson mill to support its growing consumer tissue and towel business. The company will retain approximately 300 employees to manage those operations.

Employees will continue to operate the Port Hudson communication papers and pulp mill assets, with final operations of those assets expected by mid-March. Georgia-Pacific says it has begun discussions with union leadership and the hourly and salaried workforce on how the process will work for employees affected by the job reductions, including the potential to transfer to other Georgia-Pacific locations.

Sen. Regina Barrow released the following statement.

"I am shocked and saddened by the news this morning that Georgia Pacific is planning to lay off more than 600 employees in March. I am in touch with state and local officials, union representatives and company officials to make sure that everything that can be done is done to provide the needed support for these workers and their families. It is my understanding that the company’s decision was based on declining demand for paper products, such as copy paper, etc. I know many of these families personally and we need to make sure that government and the community come together to help everyone move forward."

Additionally, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced plans to help those impacted by the layoffs, including a meeting of stakeholders in BRAC, EmployBR, LED, the Louisiana Workforce Commission and officials with Georgia-Pacific. EmployBR will also initiate its Rapid Response (RR) program alongside the Louisiana Workforce Commission as a result of the layoffs.

More information can be found here.