Racine, Wisconsin-based Cree Lighting, a developer and manufacturer of high-performance LED lighting for commercial, industrial, and outdoor applications, has announced a major restructuring and the winding down of manufacturing operations at its 650,000-square-foot Sturtevant facility, although the company itself will continue operating with limited functions, includingR&D, engineering, sales, marketing, finance, quality control, and a pilot manufacturing operation at the site.
The closure has affected 172 employees.
According to a company statement, "With the implementation – and now acceleration – of the Cree Lighting strategic restructuring, the company continues to work on fulfilling its substantial backlog of orders as well as process new orders. While we are closing the manufacturing unit in Racine, with the exception of maintaining a pilot operation, we will continue to operate certain business functions at the Racine facility, including, but not limited to, R&D, engineering, sales and marketing, finance, and quality control.
We are honored and excited that our customers have remained confident in Cree Lighting’s ability to continue to reliably provide the quality products that Cree Lighting is known for.
We expect to be able to share more insights in the coming few weeks."
The financially-challenged company has experienced supply chain constraints and limited manufacturing capacity related to its ongoing financial restructuring. In response, the company has taken decisive action to strengthen its operational foundation and restore service levels for customers by announcing a long-term contract manufacturing agreement with a highly regarded U.S. lighting manufacturer specializing in industrial and harsh environment applications.
Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?