YOU CAN FIND MORE OF THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE – AT WJCL DOT COM.//// “FOR MANY, THAT JOB REPRESENTED THE BREADWINNER. FINDING A JOB AT THAT LEVEL OF PAY IN A CITY THE SIZE OF SAVANNAH WILL BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT” AS FAMILIES SCRAMBLE TO DECIDE THE NEXT STEPS — AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL PAPER’S IMPENDING CLOSURES — WE’RE ASKING ECONOMIC EXPERTS WHAT FACTORS LED TO THIS. MANY QUESTIONING — IF THE TARIFF UNCERTAINTY IS PLAYING A ROLE. WE TALKED TO THOMAS FELLOWS — A GEORGIA ECONOMIC COMMENTATOR — AND HE SAYS ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY — ARE IMPACTING THIS INDUSTRY THE MOST. IT WASN’T NECESSARILY TARIFFS THAT CAUSED THAT, BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL COMMUNICATION HAPPENING MUCH MORE EBAY ONLINE BANKING, THE THE SHIFT IN PUBLISHING AND MEDIA, TO DIGITAL INSTEAD OF PAPER. FELLOWS ALSO SAYS INTERNATIONAL PAPER –HAD AN EXPANSION IN ALABAMA
Economic expert weighs in as International Paper closes Savannah plants
Updated: 12:46 PM EDT Aug 22, 2025
As International Paper prepares to permanently close its Savannah and Riceboro facilities by the end of September, families across the region are grappling with what comes next. We spoke with Georgia economic commentator Thomas Fellows about what led to the closures. He noted, “For many, that job represented the breadwinner. Finding a job at that level of pay in a city the size of Savannah will be very, very difficult.”Fellows emphasized that the closures weren’t driven solely by tariffs.“It wasn’t necessarily tariffs that caused that,” he said. “It was digital communication happening much more. E-billing, online banking, and the shift in publishing and media to digital instead of paper.”Fellows also says International Paper expanded in Alabama and needed to reduce capacity due to a drop in demand.For now, workers and families are left weighing their options as the deadline approaches, with many hoping for local support and economic solutions to ease the transition.TRENDING STORIES’Deeply concerned’: Georgia Gov. Kemp issues statement following International Paper closure newsMassive nest belonging to invasive hornet found in Chatham CountyInternational Paper shutting down Savannah, Riceboro mills, impacting 1,100 jobs
SAVANNAH, Ga. —
As International Paper prepares to permanently close its Savannah and Riceboro facilities by the end of September, families across the region are grappling with what comes next.
We spoke with Georgia economic commentator Thomas Fellows about what led to the closures. He noted, “For many, that job represented the breadwinner. Finding a job at that level of pay in a city the size of Savannah will be very, very difficult.”
Fellows emphasized that the closures weren’t driven solely by tariffs.
“It wasn’t necessarily tariffs that caused that,” he said. “It was digital communication happening much more. E-billing, online banking, and the shift in publishing and media to digital instead of paper.”
Fellows also says International Paper expanded in Alabama and needed to reduce capacity due to a drop in demand.
For now, workers and families are left weighing their options as the deadline approaches, with many hoping for local support and economic solutions to ease the transition.
TRENDING STORIES