Spartanburg, South Carolina-based Smith Drug Company, a wholesale pharmaceutical and medical equipment distributor, has announced it will wind down its wholesale pharmaceutical division operations prior to a sale to an unnamed company.
The closure will impact 195 employees located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Milton, Vermont, and Paragould, Arkansas. Layoffs will begin on September 30, 2026, and continue until February 28, 2027.
According to Board Chair and CEO of parent of J.M. Smith, Paula Harper Bethea, "As our industry continues to evolve, this step allows us to honor that legacy by caring for our employees, customers, and vendors and fulfilling our obligations to our shareholders. We are committed to working alongside our employees through this transition and ensuring they are treated with the respect and support they deserve. It is the Smith way.”
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?