Tacoma, Washington, USA cityscape with East 21st Street Bridge at night.


Georgia-Pacific employees at its gypsum plant in Tacoma, Washington, were informed yesterday that Georgia-Pacific plans to permanently close the facility.

This decision came as a result of several challenging market conditions that have affected the gypsum industry. Since 2022, there has been an ongoing decline in consumer repair and remodel activity, which is the primary driver of demand for our products, especially gypsum.

The repair and remodel activity is primarily driven by the sales of existing homes or home turnover, which is currently at a 30-year low and— unfortunately—is not showing signs of improvement. This decision is not a reflection of the hard work and efforts of the Tacoma team.

Looking forward, Georgia-Pacific believes it can continue to satisfy customers’ demands from production at its remaining facilities.

All 125 full-time employees at the plant will be impacted by this closure. Normal operations will cease in approximately 45 days, and the site will be permanently closed toward the end of the year. Georgia-Pacific will ensure that employees receive all earned wages and agreed-upon benefits at the time of their discharge.

Georgia-Pacific’s focus in the coming weeks and months is to continue safely operating while supporting affected employees during the transition. The company plans to work with these team members to provide access to local support agencies and job placement resources, including available opportunities within Georgia-Pacific or other Koch companies.