Pactiv Evergreen, a North American fresh food and beverage packaging manufacturer, is set to close its facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, US.

This decision is set to impact 153 job positions at the plant, with layoffs expected to commence this year in April and conclude by June.

The company had previously filed a worker adjustment and retraining notification with the state, indicating that the job eliminations would be permanent.

The company’s website indicates that it operates another plant in the Kalamazoo area, which is not affected by this closure, Packaging Dive has reported.

Both Michigan sites became part of Pactiv Evergreen in 2021 following the acquisition of Fabri-Kal, a packaging company specialising in foodservice and consumer brand products.

In December last year, Pactiv Evergreen reached a definitive agreement to merge with Novolex, the packaging company owned by Apollo Global Management, creating a combined entity through an all-cash deal worth $6.7bn.

Set to be completed by mid-2025, the merger will position the new entity within the food, beverage, and speciality packaging sectors. Novolex chair and CEO Stan Bikulege will lead the combined company.

The merger is financially supported by Apollo Funds and CPP Investments, providing around $1bn each and securing a minority stake in the combined entity after the merger.

Pactiv Evergreen currently employs more than 14,000 people across 51 manufacturing facilities in North America. The company has a total of 1,100 product lines and 42 distribution centres.