California has had a rough 2025 – and unfortunately, it looks like the pain is poised to continue.
With waves of factory closures slamming the state, and no relief in sight…2025 looks likely to end as it began – with tough times and far too many unemployed Californians looking for a new job.
We’ve now received word that Smurfit Westrock will shut its corrugated sheet and box facility in City of Industry, wiping out 141 jobs when the plant goes offline on December 14…just in time for the holidays.
More specifically, the plant – serving the packaging needs of consumer goods including food and drink – has been flagged in a WARN letter shared with California regulators for permanent closure as part of the company’s recent cost-cutting and capacity-rationalization effort.
Pressure has been mounting for packaging firms. Rising raw material and freight costs, labour shortages in some areas and a squeeze on margins have all taken a toll. On the demand side, slumping international orders (in part driven by trade war pressures and tariffs) are being matched by softer U.S. consumer spending.
In California, the ripple effects could be felt far and wide. The facility has long supplied major grocery-and‐beverage brands, as well as ancillary trucking, maintenance and local vendor services. When one link in that chain disappears, the entire network tightens. Think about it this way: Less local spending by impacted workers will depress demand just a little bit more, and friends and family worried about their jobs may also start tightening their belts. This leads to more oversupply issues, potentially eventually causing another round of cuts…and the spiral goes on.
For the 141 people directly losing their jobs, and for the broader community relying on middle-class manufacturing work, this comes at a particularly fraught moment. With December looming and job opportunities not exactly plentiful, it’s poised to be a painful holiday season.
Please join us in wishing these workers well – and more importantly, taking action to support them. If you know of any job openings in the area, please leave a comment on this article! And if you don’t, consider at least sharing some words of encouragement or wisdom. We’re all on this together, after all.
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