Overview
- Staff were called to a Tuesday evening meeting and told the plant will shut next month, with almost all roles to end within about two months.
- The announcement comes months after Tokoroa’s paper mill closed, taking combined local job losses to nearly 250 this year.
- Workers say management pointed to slim margins and cheaper imported plywood undercutting local production.
- Many employees have more than a decade of service and describe scarce local opportunities that may force long commutes or relocation.
- Union representatives and community figures express confidence in Tokoroa’s resilience as the town weighs future industry options.