US industrial and consumer packaging products manufacturer Sonoco has shut down paper mill operations in Hartsville, South Carolina, US due to flooding from Hurricane Florence.
The company has reported that the hurricane caused flooding at certain operations.
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As a result, the operations that experienced damage will remain closed for several weeks.
Sonoco president and CEO Rob Tiede said: “We are gratified that none of our employees have been injured during the storm and subsequent flooding over the past several days.
“Flooding along Black Creek at our Hartsville Manufacturing Complex is expected to continue for the next few days, but we are beginning to make assessments and line up maintenance crews so we can quickly begin repairing equipment to get back into operation as soon as possible.”
The Hartsville mill complex comprises six uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) machines and one corrugated medium paper machine, which collectively contribute more than 20% of the company’s global paper production.
Other operations affected by flooding and storm damage from Hurricane Florence include three Sonoco Recycling locations in North Carolina and the company’s tube and core operation in Hartsville.
Sonoco also closed its operations in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. However, they are back to production.
As a result of the incident, the company expects to incur increased input, operational and supply chain costs.
To counter the negative impacts arising from the event, the company is leveraging inventory and production from its global mill network and supplier relationships.
Established in 1899, Sonoco provides consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, and displays and packaging supply chain services.
