Overview
- Closures are proposed at Paderborn, Hövelhof, Mannheim, Endingen am Kaiserstuhl and Donauwörth, with a partial shutdown in Hamburg.
- The company targets completion by the end of 2026, pending the outcome of required consultations.
- Talks with employee representatives are underway and DS Smith says no final decision has been taken.
- Works councils and the union Ver.di oppose the plan, with Hövelhof’s council noting the site had been profitable.
- Management frames the move as aligning capacity with customer needs in tough market conditions following the International Paper takeover.