NO LOVE AT PROCTER & GAMBLE

MAY 3, 2023 — 122 EMPLOYEES IN HAMILTON, OHIO

iMFLUX, a wholly owned subsidiary of P&G that developed low, constant pressure injection molding technology, notified the State of Ohio that it is closing its Hamilton, Ohio, facility on June 30, 2023, and will lay off all of its 122 employees.

FEBRUARY 13, 2018 — MASS LAYOFFS IN IOWA AND KANSAS

The company will move 500 jobs from its Iowa City, Iowa Beauty Care Plant’s (hair care and personal cleansing body wash) production line to its newly-built facility in Tabler Station, West Virginia, gradually with the move completed by 2020. Some of the well-known brands included in the move will be Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Olay, Old Spice, Gillette body wash, and Scope and Crest Oral Rinses. The oral care products, including power toothbrushes, will remain in Iowa City for now. 

Additionally, the 100-year-old plant in Kansas City, Kansas facility will be closed, and production transferred to the new West Virginia facility. Approximately 280 employees will be laid off. Some of the brands associated with the Kansas City plant include Dawn, Gain, Ivory, and Joy hand dishwashing detergents. 

Of course, there was the corporate speak, “Decisions like this are never easy, but we are communicating this decision more than two years in advance to help our employees plan for the future. We are committed to supporting Procter & Gamble people through the transition in a manner consistent with our values and principles."

Consumer goods companies are demand- and price-sensitive to changes in the marketplace; often adjusting capacity, workflow, and personnel to meet present conditions and future projections.

P&G cites an enterprise-wide review started in 2013 as the impetus for the layoffs. Nothing to see here, move along.  

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. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. 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?

NO LOVE AT SIGMA DESIGNS (Z-WAVE)

It appears that a failed merger with a competitor has resulted in the loss of approximately 300+ employees as Sigma Designs, based in Freemont, California, liquidates.

In the end, the competitor, Texas-based Silicon Laboratories, will purchase Sigma’s Z-Wave automation business for approximately $240 million pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. Other company assets will be liquidated on a best efforts basis.

“Z-Wave is a wireless communications protocol used primarily for home automation. It is a mesh network using low-energy radio waves to communicate from appliance to appliance, allowing for wireless control of residential appliances and other devices, such as lighting control, security systems, thermostats, windows, locks, swimming pools and garage door openers.”  

Sigma is noted for creating system-on-chip products used to enable connect “smart” products. According to Sigma, “Whether you’re designing for devices or services, local control or cloud access, starting with a blank sheet or looking for quick turn-key, Sigma Designs’ Z-Wave development kits give you the hardware, software, accessories, and documentation you need to quickly create new Z-Wave products, or embed Z-Wave technology into your current and upcoming products. Kits are available for all major international frequencies.” 

Are you asking yourself, Am I Next?