Mass Layoffs Loom At 7 VA Companies, Hundreds Of Jobs Hit By Amazon Fresh Closings

A tire manufacturer, a tobacco giant and a security operations company are among seven businesses announcing the layoffs of more 1,750 Virginia workers, according to state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act reports filed in January.

Meanwhile, recently announced Amazon Fresh closings will affect nearly 700 workers in the state, according to the Virginia Department of Labor.

Among the employers announcing layoffs in January are:

• Bear Express LLC, 1400 Sewells Point Rd., Norfolk
  • The delivery company announced on Jan. 27 that it would lay off 168 employees, effective April 1, due to closure, according to a WARN notice filed with the state.
• Phillip Morris, 1021 E. Cary St. #1600, Richmond
  • Tobacco giant Phillip Morris announced on Jan. 28 that the company would close its facility in Richmond and lay off 135 people, effective April 17.
• Leidos, 22001 Loudoun County Pkwy., Ashburn
  • Leidos, a security operations company, said on Jan. 21 that it would lay off 93 workers at its Ashburn site. The layoffs are effective March 23.
• Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, 1500 Indiana St., Salem
  • Yokohama Tire announced on Jan. 16 that it would close its Salem plant and layoff 533 employees, effective March 18.
• SMBC Manubank, various locations
  • In a notice filed with the state, the banking company said it planned to lay off six workers in Virginia; however, it did not specify where the layoffs would take place.
• AeroFarms, 1526 Cane Creek Pkwy., Ringgold
  • In a notice filed on Jan. 14, the manufacturer of indoor vertical farming equipment said 127 people would be laid off as a result of a plant closure. The layoffs are effective Feb. 27.

Meanwhile, the recent announcement of the closings of Amazon Fresh stores will impact 691 employees in Virginia, according to filings with the state.

Amazon announced at the end of January that it would close its Fresh and cashierless Go stores in Virginia 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 Virginia are found in:

• 3801 Richmond Hwy., Alexandria
• 10360 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
• 5811 Crossroads Center Way, Falls Church
• 7005 Manchester Blvd., Franconia
• 9409 Lorton Market St., Lorton