An employee heads home after working a shift at Huhtamaki Packaging Worldwide on the Fairfield and Waterville border in 2015. The company laid off 102 workers Friday because demand for school products has dropped because of closures due to coronavirus. Morning Sentinel file photo.

The Huhtamaki paper plant in Waterville announced Thursday that 102 employees would be temporarily laid off due to a drop in demand because of the coronavirus.

The layoffs have resulted from the diminished need for school lunch trays and plates because of nationwide school shutdowns to help slow the spread of the virus, Communications Manager Wess Hundelson said in a news release.

Hundelson said all of the other areas of production have continued to experience strong sales as most Americans are dining at home now.

The layoffs are effective Friday, leaving 420 employees at the plant.

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