LAYOFFS: NO LOVE AT HALLMARK CARDS (UPDATED 07-29-20)

JULY 29, 2020 — 120 COMPANY LAYOFFS, 90 AT THE COMPANY’S KANSAS CITY HEADQUARTERS

“Hallmark is transforming its business as people shop and engage with brands differently. This need is even more urgent now that Covid-19 has introduced more shoppers to digital and e-commerce solutions."

"To meet consumers’ changing needs, we’re investing in our marketing, modern digital experiences and supply chain capabilities in ways that will help us reimagine how we deliver our products. Part of this transformation includes a workforce reduction, as well as the continued restructuring of the Hallmark Global business to better position us to serve our retail partners and consumers." 

Original Post…

Kansas City, Missouri-based Hallmark Cards, the iconic manufacturer of greeting cards and specialty items, has announced a reduction in force to continue their restructuring and cost-cutting efforts.  Approximately 400 employees will be effected, including 325 positions at Hallmark’s Kansas City headquarters. The layoffs, some of which will be offered on a voluntary basis, will encompass all of the company’s functional areas including those in greeting cards, retail operations, and corporate  support functions.

According to president and chief executive officer, Mike Perry…

“Our success in 2019 reflects the power of the 100 plus year-old Hallmark and Crayola brands and their relevancy in the lives of our consumers. While there is a lot to feel good about, it is no secret that today’s companies must continuously transform in response to the rapidly evolving retail and consumer environments. The way people shop and the competitive dynamics in the marketplace are changing at a pace and at a degree that is having a significant impact on our businesses.”

“As we open 2020, we have a clear line of sight to the transformational work that needs to be accomplished and these efforts will lead us on a path that will enable us to realize the longer-term vision and mission we have for our business.”

“This transformation includes actions to reduce the size of the current global workforce for Hallmark’s greeting card business, retail business and corporate support functions. Perry announced to employees this week that the company is taking voluntary and involuntary actions that will impact approximately 400 of the company’s 30,000 employees around the world.  These changes, while not easy, will enable us to invest in new growth strategies that will ultimately help us realize our future vision. The products and content we create make a positive difference in the world. To be able to help others, and to build an enduring business, we must change.” said Perry. “Our efforts will be ongoing and by transforming the way we work, the way we go to market, and the way we serve our customers, we will be enabling our business to thrive and fulfill the promise of our brand.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

LAYOFFS: NO LOVE AT HOME CREDIT U.S.

Overland Park, Kansas-based Home Credit U.S., a global provider/servicer of proprietary-branded credit card services to Sprint and others has announced that they will be laying off 100 employees in their Overland Park office located on the Sprint Campus. Positions include operations, management, credit, customer relations, sales, information technology, legal, finance, and human resources. The layoffs will commence January 31, 2020, and be phased over the following quarter. Because the company continues to invest in technology, it is possible that the layoffs are technology-driven, but it is still unknown how Sprint's pending $26 billion merger with T-Mobile might affect the relationship with Sprint. A Sprint spokesperson noted that the job action will not affect any Sprint cardholders.

The parent company is Home Credit B.V., an international non-bank financial institution founded in 1997 in the Czech Republic and headquartered in the Netherlands. The parent operates in ten countries including those in Europe and Russia, Kazakhstan, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, and the United States. The company and focuses primarily on subprime credit card lending and lends to people with little or no credit history.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT MOLSON COORS (11/13/24)

NOVEMBER 13, 2024 — BREWERY CLOSURE WITH WISCONSIN LAYOFFS

The company has announced it will cease production and permanently close its 150-year-old brewery in Chippewa, Wisconsin, effective on or about January 17, 2025.

The closure will impact 57 employees.

According to a company spokesperson, 'Following the end of a large contract brewing agreement and amid an ongoing canning line investment project at our Milwaukee brewery, we've made the decision to close two of our smaller brewing operations in Wisconsin and centralize statewide production at our main site in Milwaukee.” 

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 — Original post…

Denver, Colorado-based brewer MillerCoors will now be renamed Molson Coors Beverage Company. Along with the new name, the iconic brewer has announced a restructuring and consolidation plan that would reduce force of approximately 500 employees and relocate the company's North American headquarters from Denver, Colorado, to Chicago, Illinois.

The company used its third-quarter earnings disclosure to announce the “new revitalization plan intended to achieve consistent top-line growth by improving efficiency and unlocking resources to reinvest in the business.”

The new Molson Coors president and chief executive officer, Gavin Hattersley, noted, "Our business is at an inflection point. We can continue down the path we’ve been on for several years now, or we can make the significant and difficult changes necessary to get back on the right track. Our revitalization plan is designed to streamline the company, move faster, and free up resources to invest in our brands and our capabilities. Through it, we will create a brighter future for Molson Coors.”

“The plan aims to revitalize Molson Coors, achieving consistent topline growth by enabling us to: 1) Invest in iconic brands as well as opportunities to grow in the above premium space, 2) Expand beyond beer without having to sacrifice support for larger brands in the company’s portfolio and 3) Create new digital competencies for commercial functions, system capabilities for supply chain and capabilities for employees. To make this possible, Molson Coors plans to unlock significant resources by eliminating duplication, shedding what’s not working and restructuring the organization to better succeed in today’s competitive, fast-paced environment.”

“To further drive efficiency and enable growth, Molson Coors is consolidating and reorganizing office locations. The Denver office will be closed and Chicago will be designated as the North American operational headquarters. Functional support roles currently housed in several offices around the country will now be based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a result, we expect to reduce employment levels by approximately 400 to 500 employees as part of this restructuring, primarily in our existing United States, Canada and International reporting segments, as well as Corporate.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?