AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT BAKER & TAYLOR

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Baker & Taylor, a distributor of books to public and academic libraries, has announced it would begin shutting down operations, with full closure of the company by January 2026, due to a failed sale to Oak Brook, Illinois-based ReaderLink Distribution Services, the largest full-service distributor of hardcover, trade, and paperback books to non-trade channel booksellers in North America

The closure will impact 520 employees, including 318 employees in the B&T distribution center in Momence, Illinois. Sixty-two employees will remain until December 22, 2025, and a “post–wind down” group of three employees will be let go on January 3, 2026.

According to a company spokesperson, “Despite Baker & Taylor’s subsequent efforts, it was unsuccessful in seeking a path to continue its business operations. The closure of its facilities has resulted from the unforeseen termination of a sale transaction which was intended to convey Baker & Taylor’s assets and operations to a purchaser, and which would have resulted in the continuing employment of all Baker & Taylor employees.”

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, 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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT ADVANCED PRESSURE TECHNOLOGY

Napa, California-based Advanced Pressure Technology, a manufacturer of gas handling components, including flow devices, pressure regulators, and valves, has announced a permanent plant closure in Napa, California.

The closure will affect 237 employees, with layoffs to be completed by December 1, 2025.

According to the company, “AP Tech has had a significant slowdown in demand from key customers. One of the largest customers in China has accumulated 12 months of excess inventory and is actively canceling orders as well as exploring alternative suppliers. A significant portion of AP Tech’s customer base is outside of the U.S., where tariffs and shifting global trade policies continue to impact pricing and order volumes. Our proactive efforts to preserve jobs have not been enough. We have tried eliminating overtime, reallocating resources to try and stabilize operations, and an earlier mass layoff in July 2025.”

"Despite extensive efforts to streamline operations, the cost of maintaining the facility in California has remained higher than can be supported. The work being done in the Bay Area is being shifted to Indiana, where our parent company, SMC Corp., maintains its primary operations.

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, 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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT ACRISURE

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Acrisure, a financial technology and insurance company, has announced the continuation of its technology transformation with artificial intelligence.

The transformation will impact 400 accounting employees, including 200 in West Michigan, in the first quarter of 2026.

According to CEO Greg Williams, "The layoffs are the result of artificial-intelligence technology deployed by Acrisure, which will automate a significant portion of the work performed by the affected employees. The last five years have been about innovating and deploying technology anywhere and everywhere that we can."

"This was not an easy decision, as it affects colleagues who have given so much to our company and our community. You kind of knew this day was coming at some point as you’re doing these investments and leaning into innovation, automation. But it doesn’t make it any less painful … Our colleagues have been tremendous. They’re not only great teammates, but they’ve been a carrier of a culture and a strategy in a company that they’ve helped build.”

“This isn’t anything about pressure or pain point in the bottom line. This is about remaining competitive in a very competitive world and meeting clients where they want to be met and deploying capital where we need to deploy it in order to make all that happen.”

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, 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?