Longview Fiber Co. is getting out of the grocery bag business and has sold its grocery bag equipment to a Port Townsend, Wash., manufacturer.

That will mean layoffs for five to 10 people, said Longview Fiber spokesman Curt Copenhagen. All told, 20 people will lose their jobs by the end of March, but 10 to 15 will be re-employed in the company's corrugated box manufacturing plant in Spanish Fork, he said Tuesday.The grocery bag-making equipment will be removed from the Spanish Fork plant and transported to Washington, where it will be manufacturing paper bags by April, said John Begely, president of Port Townsend Paper. The move to broaden its product lines will give the Port Townsend plant the ability to make paper bags with handles.

Meanwhile, Longview Fiber is refocusing its efforts toward making other kinds of shopping bags, including bags with three and four colors.

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