Layoffs hit freight-related companies across Southeast

Layoffs tied to the manufacturing, distribution and freight sectors have surged across the southeastern U.S. since the beginning of April.

More than 1,300 job cuts have been announced, according to media reports and Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices.

C&S Wholesale Services LLC

C&S Wholesale Services LLC said it is ceasing operations at its distribution center in Baldwin, Florida, and laying off 490 workers. 

The facility will close by July Fourth. The company did not provide a reason for the closure or layoffs.

Baldwin is about 21 miles from Jacksonville.

C&S Wholesale Services does business as C&S Wholesale Grocers, one of the largest wholesale grocery supply companies in the U.S.

Adient Plc

Tier 1 auto supplier Adient Plc announced it is closing two factories in Tennessee, which will result in layoffs for 415 workers.

The company is closing a plant in Lexington and laying off 320 workers, along with a factory in Columbia, affecting 95 workers.

The company did provide a reason for the facility’s closure in a WARN notice filed with the state. Both facilities will close by June 27.

Adient produces automotive seating and parts for major automotive manufacturers, including General Motors, Ford and Honda.

Adient is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. The company has 70,000 employees in 29 countries and operates more than 200 sites worldwide, according to its website.

Adient is a subsidiary of Johnson Controls, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Cork, Ireland.

Related: Penske Logistics slashing 330 jobs in Missouri

Saks Global Tennessee fulfilment center

Saks Global is shutting down a fulfillment center in La Vergne, Tennessee, and eliminating 446 jobs, according to a WARN notice.

La Vergne is about 19 miles southeast of Nashville.

The facility is part of Saks Global, a New York-based holding company of department stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Saks Global did not provide a reason for the fulfillment center’s closure in its WARN notice. The company recently announced it is laying off about 550 workers across the U.S. as part of an effort to consolidate operations, according to WWD.

Grede LLC

Grede LLC said it will close its iron foundry in Brewton, Alabama, resulting in 220 layoffs, according to a WARN notice and media reports.

The plant, which has been in operation since 1976, produces ductile iron castings for the U.S. automotive market.

The plant employs 130 hourly workers, 30 salaried employees and 60 third-party contractors. Some of the employees are represented by the United Steelworkers union.

“Grede’s primary served markets have not rebounded to pre-COVID volumes, resulting in an availability of capacity across some of Grede’s U.S. foundries,” the company told AL.com. “We are transferring work across our network of facilities to maximize utilization of assets and reduce inefficiencies.”

The closure is scheduled for May 22.

Grede LLC is based in Southfield, Michigan. The company has 10 facilities in the U.S. and about 3,000 employees.

Bunzl Distribution USA

Bunzl Distribution USA Inc. is closing down multiple units operating at its facility in Memphis, Tennessee, and eliminating 106 jobs.

According to a WARN notice, Bunzl’s Memphis warehouse operation will permanently close by June 30, affecting Cordova Safety Products, SAS Safety Corp., M. L. Kishigo Manufacturing Co. LLC and Majestic Glove.

All of the workers affected will be offered the opportunity to transfer to a facility about 20 miles away, according to the state filing.

St. Louis-based Bunzl Distribution USA supplies a range of products to food processors, supermarkets, retailers, convenience stores and other users. The company has more than 8,000 employees across 190 warehouses in North America and the Caribbean.

Saddle Creek Logistics

Saddle Creek Logistics said it is laying off 73 workers from an operation in Atlanta.

The 3PL said it lost a service contract with Del Monte Foods at the location. 

“Del Monte made the decision to not renew their contract with us. All affected associates received the required WARN notifications on April 2. Separations will begin on June 1,” Saddle Creek Logistics said in a state filing.

Lakeland, Florida-based Saddle Creek Logistics Services specializes in warehousing, packaging and transportation solutions for manufacturers, retailers and e-commerce companies.

Hood Container Corp.

Hood Container Corp. plans to close a factory in Simpsonville, South Carolina, and lay off 60 employees.

The closure will be finalized by June 15, according to a WARN notice. Hood Container did not provide a reason for the facility’s closure.

The Simpsonville plant focuses on producing corrugated metal sheets and offering warehousing services.

Atlanta-based Hood Container is a “mill to market” company providing a range of packaging and labeling solutions, according to its website.

The company has 56 facilities across the U.S. and employs more than 1,000 workers.

Corsicana Mattress Co.

Corsicana Mattress Co. is permanently closing its factory in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and laying off 47 employees.

The mattress manufacturer’s Shelbyville plant will close by June 13. The company did not provide a reason for the factory closure.

Corsicana Mattress Co. is based in Corsicana, Texas. The company has eight facilities in the U.S. and employs more than 500 workers.

Quickway Transportation Inc.

Trucking company Quickway Transportation Inc. said it is shutting down, which will result in layoffs for 45 employees in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The closure will be finalized by June 15. The company did not provide a reason for the facility’s closure or layoffs in its filing with the state.

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