Overview
- The targeted locations are Paderborn, Hövelhof, Mannheim, Endingen am Kaiserstuhl, and Donauwörth, with a partial shutdown planned in Hamburg.
- The company presents the plan as an efficiency step to meet changing customer needs under difficult market conditions.
- DS Smith states the proposal is subject to consultation, and no final decision has been made.
- Works councils and the union Verdi have voiced opposition, citing concerns including claims that at least one site remains profitable.
- The proposed closures follow International Paper’s January 2025 acquisition and a review of DS Smith’s Central European operations.