AM I NEXT? LAYOFFS AT WELCH ALLYN

Skaneateles Falls, New York-based Welch Allyn, an iconic manufacturer of medical diagnostic devices, has announced the layoff of approximately 50 employees and the mid-2019 closure of its 3-year-old purpose-built 34,000 square-foot development and technology center in Beaverton, Oregon.

The decision was made by Welch Allyn’s parent, Chicago, Illinois-based Hill-Rom. According to a Hill-Rom spokesperson, the stems from Hill-Rom's plan to co-locate the Beaverton research and development workers with other Hill-Rom researchers.

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT TCF BANK

Another financial services call and operations center fall by the wayside as Wayzata, Minnesota-based TCF Bank moves it contact and operations operation out of their Sioux Falls, South Dakota facility. The closure will result in layoffs of all 145 Corporate Operations Support, Payment Services, and Contact Center team members who work at this location.

According to a company spokesperson…

“Last week, TCF Bank announced it plans to sell its operations center located at 4101 W. 38th St. in Sioux Falls and will relocate Retail Banking and Enterprise Operations roles to its Plymouth, Minnesota and Garfield, Illinois offices. All relocations will occur in phases through March 31, 2019. A small group of TCF’s Risk team members will remain in Sioux Falls.”

The move should come as no surprise to employees as there have been a number of layoffs in the Sioux Falls financial services sector since the beginning of the year. Notably 80 Citibank call center workers were also laid off “to align staffing with current business needs.”

Are you wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT NESTLE WATERS (09/18/21)

SEPTEMBER 18, 2021 — LAYOFFS FOLLOWING ACQUISITION OF NORTH AMERICA BRANDS

After conducting a strategic review of its company’s activities, Nestle recently sold its Nestle Waters North America brands, which included Pure Life, Poland Spring, Deer Park, Ozarka, and delivery service ReadyRefresh, in February 2021 for $4.3 billion. The purchaser was One Rock Capital Partners, which renamed the company Blue Triton.

According to a company statement, “As the bottled water industry continues to face an array of headwinds, BlueTriton Brands, now a smaller company, is charting a re-imagined course to thrive amidst changing consumer preferences in a rapidly evolving marketplace.”

To compete successfully, we must continually assess how to effectively allocate and align resources, ensuring we have the right structures and sufficient capacity to do what needs to be done on accelerated time frames.

Accordingly, we have recently taken steps to reorganize our internal structure and realign resources to strengthen key functions. Unfortunately, this process also included eliminating certain positions. We recognize the personal impact of these changes on affected employees, and we are providing transition support, including separation benefits that recognize tenure and their many contributions to the company.”

An unknown number of employees at the company’s Poland and Hollis Maine facilities. The company added, “We do not anticipate reducing production at those facilities.”

AUGUST 27, 2018 — Original post…

As part of a company-wide restructuring effort Stamford, Connecticut-based Nestle Waters North America Inc. has announced that it will be closing its ReadyRefresh distribution facility in Kearny, New Jersey, and laying off 175 employees.  

ReadyRefresh distributes brands such as Poland Spring, Perrier, S. Pellegrino, and Nestle Pure Life to home and commercial customers.

Nestle disputes the characterization that the workers are being laid off because they are being assigned to other facilities in Jersey City, New Jersey; Carlstadt, New Jersey; Long Island City, New York, and Elmsford, New York. However, employees who do not choose to relocate will be laid off. 

The company’s spokesperson noted, “We are implementing a series of operational changes within ReadyRefresh branch locations serving the New York metropolitan area. These operational changes are part of our business strategy to optimize our delivery process and strengthen our organization for future growth."

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?