Ohio paper mill closure pushed back; lawmakers vow to keep it operating
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It was announced earlier this week that the Pixelle paper mill in Chillicothe would be closing in the next few weeks and that it would be moving most of its operations to Pennsylvania.
It's a decision that would impact nearly 800 workers in the Buckeye State.
In a letter to H.I.G. Capital, the investment firm that bought the mill in 2022, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno called the decision to close 'corporate greed,' our news partners at WBNS reported.
In a social media post sent on Friday, Moreno said he has since spoken to H.I.G. Capital, owner of the Pixelle paper mill in Chillicothe.
'They have agreed to PAUSE the closure of the Chillicothe paper mill until the end of the year. I look forward to working with them to find a solution that guarantees the well-being of Ohio workers,' Moreno wrote.
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Moreno joined U.S. Jon Husted, Governor Mike DeWine, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost at a press conference at the mill on Friday to discuss their next steps.
'We're going to find a company that's willing to come to Chillicothe to invest in people first, invest in the people who bust their you-know-what over there,' Moreno told the crowd. 'I am confident that this mill will not only survive next year but for the next 200 years in this community.'
DeWine said while they can't guarantee that, they're 'all in this together.'
'We're pledging to do everything that we can,' DeWine said.
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