Stories

Thu, 11 Jun 2026

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 Paper plant closure fears spark community protest

Workers and families held a demonstration with 167 jobs at risk at the site in Launceston.
The company has proposed closing its 60-year-old site due to "tough trading conditions", citing a review of UK packaging operations. Protesters said the closure would impact not just workers but also the wider community in Cornwall, highlighting the importance of the factory to local families. A consultation meeting was held at the same time as the demonstration, with DS Smith stating it is unable to comment further until the process concludes. The company made 70 redundancies at a site in Lincolnshire last year and has closed sites in several other locations. Generations of local families have worked at the Launceston factory, with one worker warning that its closure would be "a huge loss" to the area.