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Freight-related firms across US hit with 218 layoffs

Averitt Express, Bath & Body Works Logistics Services, ShipBob announce job cuts; Henry Avocado Corp. closing facilities

Freight-related companies in California, Florida, Ohio and Texas are laying off a total of 218 employees. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Bath & Body Works Logistics Services announced June 18 that it laid off 85 employees from a distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.

The layoffs are tied to clothing retailer Express filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, officials said.

“The [distribution] facility provides logistics and shipping services to the Express clothing brand. On April 22, Express filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced its plan to close 100 stores. Since that time Express’s volume has remained low and unpredictable. Therefore, Bath & Body Works Logistics Services needs to permanently reduce its operations,” the company said in state filings.

The layoffs at Bath & Body Works Logistics Services were finalized on June 22.


Other companies recently announcing layoffs include Averitt Express, ShipBob and Henry Avocado Corp.

Less-than-truckload carrier Averitt Express is laying off 55 employees and closing a facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a result of losing a customer, according to a filing with the state.

The affected workers at Averitt Express are among a total 218 employees being laid off at freight-related companies in Florida, California, Ohio and Texas.

Cookeville, Tennessee-based Averitt said Costco did not renew a contract to provide transportation and logistics services for a distribution center in the area. The layoffs include 51 truck drivers and will be finalized by Sept. 1. Officials for Averitt said they are working to offer job transfers to all affected employees.


E-commerce fulfillment platform ShipBob is relocating two operations in Dallas and Grapevine, Texas, to a new facility in Fort Worth. The relocations will result in 51 job cuts. However, employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to the new facility, company officials said. 

“Any employee who declines the transfer offer will be laid-off on Sept. 19,” ShipBob officials said in state filings. ShipBob is based in Chicago and has more than 50 fulfillment centers around the world.

Produce grower and distributor Henry Avocado Corp. announced it is closing several distribution and growing facilities in California that will result in 27 farm laborers being laid off. The closures include two facilities in Riverside County and five in San Diego County.

Escondido, California-based Henry Avocado grows and distributes avocados from California, Mexico, Peru and Chile.

Officials for Henry Avocado did not provide a reason for the closure of the facilities in state filings. Company officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The layoffs will be finalized by Aug. 31.

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 [email protected]