Printpack Inc. is shutting down its Elgin manufacturing facility, a move that will wipe out 111 jobs and phase out a decades-long local operation. The Atlanta-based packaging company says it will wind down the plant over roughly six months, with layoffs slated to begin on Jan. 5, 2026.
Company response and timeline
In a company statement, chief operating officer Jack Austin acknowledged the human toll of the decision, saying, “It is never easy to make decisions that affect the lives and livelihoods of our associates,” while praising Elgin workers for their professionalism. As reported by the Daily Herald, Austin traveled to the Elgin plant in early November to deliver the news in person. The closure details were also laid out in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the state.
Company footprint and what's changing
Printpack currently operates 17 facilities across North America and lists about 3,200 associates on its website. The Elgin operation dates back to a 1978 acquisition, and industry coverage flagged the WARN notice and the Jan. 5, 2026 layoff start date, according to Packaging Dive. Company materials from Printpack and its Printpack history say the firm first acquired the Elgin plant in 1978 and has since grown into a multi-state operator.
Elgin’s mixed manufacturing picture
The shutdown lands in the middle of a very different kind of year for packaging in Elgin. In September, Pregis opened a large paper-converting center that the company said would add more than 500 jobs. That contrast, a big local hiring surge at one packaging player while another prepares to exit, highlights how demand and capacity are shifting in the region’s packaging sector, according to local reporting from Shaw Local.
What workers are being offered
Printpack says it will offer transfer opportunities for associates who want to move to other company locations. The company also plans to provide severance packages and career-transition support as the Elgin operation winds down. Trade coverage noted the company stressed an orderly transition and that Austin met with employees in November to walk through the plan. For more detail on the transition package and schedule, see the company statement cited in industry coverage by Plastics Today.
Legal notice and next steps
The closure was formally disclosed in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the state of Illinois. The WARN Act requires employers to alert state officials and affected workers about large-scale layoffs, and the state maintains a public list of monthly filings. The notice sets the official timeline that activates eligibility for certain job-loss services and unemployment assistance as the company moves through its six-month wind-down, according to the archived WARN reports on Illinois workNet.
