The company management communicated the decision to the local councils of the two regional capitals and the works committee. The union CCOO expressed its total rejection of the measure, calling it arbitrary and asserting that it does not respond to any logic of economic viability.
“"This is a totally arbitrary decision that does not respond to any logic of economic viability, but rather to a strategy of corporate speculation and veiled delocalization."
In the official letter, International Paper justifies the closure as part of a “strategic review process” covering Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The goal is to “improve efficiency” and ensure that the operational structure responds to “changing customer needs and difficult current market conditions.”
The president of the works committee at the Montblanc plant, Antonio Muriana, has requested the involvement of the Generalitat, the Diputació de Tarragona, and the Council of Mayors to try to reverse the situation. The Montblanc City Council unanimously approved a motion rejecting the closure, and the Valls City Council requested a meeting with management.
This restructuring involves the closure of three corrugated cardboard packaging factories in total, including those in Valls and Montblanc, in addition to a plant in Griñón (Madrid). The company argues that the action is necessary to optimize geographical distribution within the South West EMEA region.
