An 87-year-old Georgetown County mainstay will close its doors at the end of the year. International Paper is closing the plant and taking 700 jobs with it. Thursday, city and county leaders held a press conference to address efforts to help workers.

International Paper has put a fine point on the timeline of shutting down its longtime Georgetown mill in coastal South Carolina by clarifying the closing date

State and local leaders met to discuss the next steps for the International Paper Mill’s employees on Monday. The International Paper Mill announced they are closing down the plant in Georgetown by the end of this year.

Assistance for employees impacted by the International Paper Mill is being worked on this week, with a job fair coming up.

International Paper CEO Andy Silvernail said the Georgetown SC mill closure is part of a broader strategy to combat challenges in the paper products industry.