AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT KIRBY OFFSHORE MARINE

Houston, Texas-based Kirby Offshore Marine, an offshore support tug and barge fleet operator providing support services and fuel bunkering services to ships, has announced the permanent closure of Kirby Offshore Marine Hawaii that services ships in the Honolulu Harbor.

The closure will impact 72 emloyees and layoffs will completed by December 31, 2021.

According to Matt Woodruff, Kirby's vice president of public and government affairs, "Our Hawaii operations are being sold to other companies. Our customers are aware and we are planning for a seamless transition with no interruptions of service.:

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?

AM I NEXT? MORE JOB-KILLING POLITICAL RISKS

Once again we are confronted with an example of the type of political risk that is indicative of the government's efforts at social engineering to discourage the public's use of a product they consider harmful without legislation that would make the product illegal to manufacture, sell, distribute, own, or use.

In some cases, the government increases the taxes imposed on the product to make it less attractive to youngsters and others with less discretionary income. Burdening heavy users with additional costs the government hopes will reduce or eliminate usage. The two most prominent examples are alcohol and tobacco.

Today's example comes from legislation that curbs the carriage and delivery of tobacco-associated vaping products.

"The U.S. Postal Service’s ban on the shipping of all vaping products, which was mandated by Congress late last year, took effect. The Postal Service’s exit, combined with existing delivery bans by FedEx, UPS, and DHL leaves the vaping industry with limited options to get its goods to market.

The prohibitions imposed by the four carriers affect online sales to consumers as well as business-to-business transactions between manufacturers, distributors and retailers."

These are the type of political risks that can destroy small businesses and result in major layoffs in larger companies. Keep questioning the political viability of your product line in terms of tariffs, taxation, and secondary logistical considerations of shipping.

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT DILLON LOGISTICS

Burr Ridge, Illinois-based Dillon Logistics, doing business as Dillon Transport, a dry and liquid bulk transportation company, abruptly shut down operations on August 31, 2021.

According to an anonymous executive, “The decision was made by our private equity owners.”

According to a September 1, 2021, a lawsuit (8:21-cv-02107) was filed over the company's failure to provide sufficient notice of layoffs under the WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification ) Act in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the plaintiff, a mechanic, received an email that explained that the "company was going to be sold to another business but 'that transaction will not be going forward' and Defendant was 'left with no reasonable alternative other than to liquidate the business.'”

The lawsuit notes that the company employed 342 drivers and owned or leased 450 tractors, and 700 trailers.

It is believed that private equity firm Dallas, Texas-based Cotton Creek Capital acquired a majority stake when the company recapitalized Dillon Transport to support the company’s continued expansion efforts in January 2017.

Little more is known about the closure or the company at this time

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?