Watch Now


Over 600 layoffs hit supply chain firms in California, Illinois and New York

Amazon said it is closing a fulfillment center in Chicago and laying off 211 employees beginning Nov. 13. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

More layoffs were announced by companies in the freight and logistics industry, with firms in California, Illinois and New York reducing head count and closing facilities in recent weeks.

Amazon

E-commerce giant Amazon is closing a fulfillment center in Chicago and laying off 211 employees, the company said in a filing with the Illinois Department of Commerce.

The company will begin laying off employees at the fulfillment center on Nov. 13.

Officials for Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) said the company decided not to renew the lease for the facility, which opened in 2015. 


“We’re always evaluating our network to make sure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our employees, customers, and partners,” the company said in an email to the media. “As part of that effort, we’ve decided not to renew the lease at this facility in Chicago, Illinois. We appreciate our team’s hard work and commitment, and we’re supporting impacted employees to find new opportunities within Amazon, including at nearby operations sites.”

Green Thumb Produce Inc.

Green Thumb Produce announced it is closing a facility in Banning, California, resulting in 115 layoffs.

The facility is scheduled to close by Dec. 1. Banning-based Green Thumb Produce is a distributor, wholesaler, packer and processor of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The company did not provide a reason for the closure and layoffs in its filing with the California Employment Development Department. Officials did not respond to a request for comment from FreightWaves.


DHL Supply Chain

Third-party logistics provider DHL Supply Chain is closing a facility and laying off 106 workers in Aurora, Illinois.

Company officials did not disclose the reason for the closure. The layoffs will be finalized by March 31, according to a filing with the state.

DHL did respond to a request for comment.

DHL Supply Chain is a division of Germany-based Deutsche Post DHL Group (XETRA: DHL.DE). The company employs over 600,000 people in more than 220 countries and territories.

3E Logistics NJ Inc.

Transportation services provider 3E Logistics NJ is laying off 84 workers from its facility in Brooklyn, New York.

The company said the layoffs were the result of losing a contract, according to state filings.

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based 3E Logistics NJ provides logistics services nationwide. The company is listed as having six trucks and 20 drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Genuine Parts Co.

Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC) is closing a distribution center and laying off 69 employees in Rockford, Illinois.


“This closure is a result of a strategic acquisition,” the company said in a state filing. “The closure of this site will be phased over the next five months.”

The company said the layoffs will be completed by Feb. 28.

Atlanta-based Genuine Parts Co. is a global provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts.

GXO Warehouse Co. Inc.

Third-party logistics provider GXO is closing a facility and laying off 41 workers in Avon, New York, as a result of losing a customer.

Company officials did not name the customer in the filing.

The layoffs at the facility will begin Dec. 31 and will be completed by Jan. 14, according to a state filing. GXO did not name the company in its filing.

Greenwich, Connecticut-based GXO (NYSE: GXO) is a global contract logistics provider. The company employs 1,300 workers and operates 970 warehouse locations worldwide.

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com