DS Smith Plans Launceston Closure and Kemsley Mill Changes Amid UK Restructuring

Packaging group DS Smith is pursuing changes at multiple UK sites, including the closure of its Launceston box plant in Cornwall, affecting 165 jobs, and proposed changes at its Kemsley paper mill in Kent involving the closure of PM4 and investment in PM6.

At Launceston, production is due to finish in November following a consultation with employees. DS Smith said the “difficult decision” to close the plant was made “after careful consideration of counter proposals raised.”

The company has been a significant employer in Launceston for nearly 60 years. Workers and their families protested against the proposed closure in June, describing it as a “huge loss” for the area.

DS Smith said it was committed to supporting employees affected by the Launceston closure, recognising the impact on workers, their families and the wider community.

Separately, the company has proposed closing PM4 at its Kemsley paper mill while investing in PM6. The changes form part of wider developments across DS Smith’s UK manufacturing operations.

The company has previously undertaken restructuring at other UK locations. In 2024, 70 roles were made redundant at its Louth site in Lincolnshire. Consultations at sites in Plymouth, Derbyshire, Newcastle, Sheerness and Wellingborough in 2025 resulted in decisions to close those facilities.

The developments highlight ongoing changes across DS Smith’s UK manufacturing network, with individual site proposals subject to separate consultation and decision-making processes.