By Paul Post
State and local officials say the region’s strong economy should be able to absorb the 300 people forced out of work by Essity paper company’s sudden exodus from New York state.
The Sweden-based company unexpectedly shuttered its large South Glens Falls mill on July 20 and plans call for closing a Greenwich converting facility and Saratoga Springs warehouse-distribution center this fall.
Meanwhile, the union representing the workforce is urging the company to change its mind and not close operations.
Essity is the area’s second large heavy industrial employer to shut down this year as Lehigh Cement, less than a mile away, is in the process of leaving, too. The fate of two large old mills is a major concern as potential public safety hazards if they can’t be repurposed or new buyers found.
Parts of Essity date back to 1864.
“I don’t think having an empty shell of an industrial plant is a good idea,” said state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. “The good news is that our employment situation is very strong. We have many unfilled jobs in a variety of different industries. But that said, you want to make sure you aren’t leaving an eyesore in a community that perhaps becomes an environmental nuisance. There’s still a lot of questions about what condition they’re (Essity) going to leave the buildings in and what can be done with them going forward.”