Mass Layoffs At 7 IL Companies, Another 1,500 Jobs Hit By Amazon Fresh Closings

A pharmaceutical manufacturer, a logistics firm and a transportation and warehousing company are among seven businesses announcing the layoffs of nearly 500 Illinois workers, according to December's Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

Meanwhile, recently-announced Amazon Fresh closings will impact more than 1,500 employees in the state, according to media reports.

Among the employees announcing layoffs in December are: :

• S&S Activewear, 760 W. Crossroads Parkway in Bolingbrook, reported it is closing and laying off 195 employees through the end of the year, according to the WARN notice. The business, a clothing and clothing accessories merchant wholesaler, had a corporate office at 760 W. Crossroads Parkway as well as a warehouse in Lockport.
• Minooka-based APL Logistics, a general warehousing and storage business, announced layoffs of 230 employee across two facilities. The business cited lost contracts as reasons for the plant closures and layoffs.
• Microplastics, located at 406 36th Avenue in St. Charles, laid off 86 employees due to a sold business, according to the WARN notice.The packaging company MATEtronix bought the assets and operations of Microplastics and, MATEtronix spokesperson said, the company had rehired most of its affected employees with plans to continue business at its location in St. Charles, acccoiridng to a news report.
• Ryder Integrated Logistics, at 1010 Brewbaker Drive in Saint Elmo, announced a closing that would impact 59 of its employees.
• Homewood-based 10 Roads Express LLC, a transportation and warehousing business, laid off 55 employees after a lost contract, according to the WARN report.
• Chicago-based Everest Insurance announced layoffs of 37 employees due to company reorganization, according to WARN.
• Adare Pharmaceuticals, at 925 175th Street in Aurora, laid off 21 employees as part of a consolidation effort by the company, according to WARN.

Meanwhile,the recent announcement of the closings of Amazon Fresh stores will impact 1,500 employees in Illinois, according to Chicago Business Journal.

• Amazon Fresh Closing IL Stores, Some Could Become Whole Foods Markets

Amazon announced at the end of January it would close its Fresh and cashierless Go stores in Illinois and nationwide, although Amazon Fresh will continue to exist as an online brand.

“While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion,” the company said in a statement.

Stores in Illinois are found in:

• Arlington Heights
• Bloomingdale
• Morton Grove
• Naperville
• Naperville - Ogden
• Norridge
• North Riverside
• Oak Lawn
• Schaumburg
• Tinley Park