Georgia-Pacific will lay off 40 employees and cut back hours of operation at its Thorsby plant.

The company announced the changes to employees on Monday, said company spokesman Eric Abercrombie.

The engineered lumber facility will go from four shifts to two and lose 40 hourly employees.

Abercrombie said the cuts are in no way reflective of the work employees were doing but were necessary given the sluggish economy and housing market.

“We are still operating. We have just dialed back because of the current economic conditions,” Abercrombie said.

The company will still employ approximately 180 people, in hourly and salaried positions.

The laid-off employees will be kept on a list for 12 months and rehired if any positions become open, Abercrombie said.

Georgia-Pacific bought the Thorsby mill from International Paper Co. in 2006.