AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT SOUTHERN VENEER SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

Fitzgerald, Georgia-based Southern Veneer Specialty Products, a manufacturer of engineered wood products, particularly Ultra-Low Emitting Formaldehyde (ULEF) plywood, has announced the closure of its Moncure, North Carolina hardwood plywood facility.

The closure will impact 130 employees and is scheduled for December 5, 2025. The decision appears to be driven by unfavorable market conditions.

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 NICHIHA

Johns Creek, Georgia-based Nichiha, a manufacturer of fiber cement cladding for commercial and residential applications, including siding, wall panels, and roofing, has announced the closure of one of its Macon, Georgia, plants as part of a strategic restructuring.

The closure will impact 171 employees. The plant officially closes on December 5, 2025.

According to the company, “While this decision was extremely difficult, it is necessary to build a stronger foundation for long-term success. Nichiha USA remains committed to being a responsible corporate citizen in Macon-Bibb County for many years to come.”

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 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?