AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT I SQUARED LOGISTICS LLC

Holly Springs, North Carolina-based I Squared Logistics LLC, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, has abruptly ceased operations in the Wake County town of Garner with little or no notice and initiated a mass reduction in force.

The reduction impacted 161 delivery drivers and related support staff.

According to a company statement, “Advance notice could not be provided because circumstances arose that were not reasonably foreseeable at the time notice would otherwise have been required. The circumstances leading to the employment loss developed rapidly and outside ISQU’s control."

Amazon issued a statement, “I Squared Logistics decided to exit the Delivery Service Partner program. When a DSP exits the program and transitions occur, we focus on minimizing disruption for customers while helping affected delivery associates find opportunities with other DSPs in the area. This typically involves hosting job fairs and directly connecting them with hiring DSPs. Many delivery associates can transition to new roles with minimal disruption.”

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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT BIOMERIEUX

Marcy-l'Étoile, France-based bioMérieux, a provider of diagnostic reagents, instruments, software, and testing systems used in medical microbiology, infectious disease detection, food safety, and pharmaceutical quality control, has announced it is permanently closing its San Jose, California, office.

The closure will impact 121 employees, and is scheduled to take effect on April 3, 2026.

According to a company spokesperson, "Some operations at the facility are planned to continue until December 2026. Some layoffs will take effect in April, with the remainder in December 2026. The products designed and manufactured at the San Jose site will be transferred to other bioMérieux locations. We expect a seamless transition of products and services for our customers and remain committed to assisting impacted employees in any way we can.”

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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Lake Forest, Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America, a manufacturer of packaging material and containers, has announced a restructuring that will result in the permanent shutdown of its No. 2 paper machine and kraft pulping facilities at the Wallula, Washington mill.

The shutdown will impact 200 employees with layoffs commencing on February 9, 2026.

According to Chairman and CEO Mark Kowlzan, “We recognize the impact of decisions like this on our employees and will provide support through this process. We greatly appreciate their efforts and our decision is not a reflection on their performance. We are taking these steps to support the future viability of the mill and improve our efficiency and cost position, while continuing to invest in our future growth."

"We face a challenging and worsening cost environment at the Wallula mill. Wood fiber and purchased power costs are by far the highest in our system, making the currently configured mill no longer competitive. By operating as a single-machine, recycled mill, we will streamline operations at the facility and significantly lower our cost of production, while continuing to produce high-quality containerboard for our plants and customers. We have significantly invested in the W3 machine and its capabilities after we converted it to containerboard in 2018. Moving some production to lower-cost PCA facilities where we are investing in production improvements will further optimize our mill system, resulting in even greater efficiencies.”

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?