Greif to Exit Coated Recycled Paperboard Market and Close Sweetwater Mill

Key Facts

1Greif, Inc. announced it will exit the coated recycled paperboard (CRB) market and close its Sweetwater paperboard mill in Austell, Georgia.

In a move reflecting the industrial sector's focus on operational efficiency, Greif, Inc. has announced its strategic exit from the coated recycled paperboard (CRB) market. This decision involves the permanent closure of the Sweetwater paperboard mill located in Austell, Georgia. According to reports, the move is designed to optimize the company's performance packaging portfolio by divesting from assets that lack sufficient integration within its broader network.

This restructuring comes as the company seeks to concentrate its resources on business segments where it maintains a leading market position. Per analyst data, the closure will remove approximately 120,000 tons of annual production capacity and affect about 90 colleagues. Greif plans to support affected customers by transitioning them to its wider North American uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) mill network.

At the close of September 14, 2026, GEF-B was priced at $105.46, with a daily range between $103.33 and $106.03 per market data. Investors are monitoring broader industrial catalysts following recent economic data, such as the U.S. Inflation Rate which stood at 3.4% annually as of September 11, 2026, potentially impacting manufacturing costs and sector outlook.