Type
Closure
Country
Greece
Region
Voreia Ellada; Kentriki Makedonia; Kilkis
Location of affected unit(s)
Thessaloniki and Kilki
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Wood And Paper Materials
Manufacture Of Paper And Paper Products
17.21 - Manufacture Of Corrugated Paper And Paperboard And Of Containers Of Paper And Paperboard

90 - 98 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
28 March 2024
Employment effect (start)
1 June 2024
Foreseen end date
1 June 2024

Description

Sonoco Hellas SA announced on 28 March 2024 the closure of its two factories in Kilkis and Thessaloniki by 31 May 2024. The company, a subsidiary of the American company Sonoco Products Co, owns facilities spanning 5,500 square meters in Stavrochori, Kilkis, where it manufactures recycled cardboard, paper cylindrical components, and rolls. The closure of the company will result in over 90 employees losing their jobs (60 in Thessaloniki and 30 in Kilkis).

According to the company, the decision was prompted by excessive energy costs. The company attempted to offset the high energy costs by investing around €3 million in the construction of an anaerobic biological reactor with simultaneous biogas production. However, it was unable to utilize the green energy as the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator S.A.(HEDNO S.A.) did not integrate it into the grid due to lack of capacity.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2024), Sonoco Hellas, Closure in Greece, factsheet number 201002, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/201002.