A manufacturing plant in Durham is laying off 54 employees starting June 24, according to an N.C. Department of Commerce filing.
Durham-based Phononic, a producer of sustainable solid state cooling systems, is transitioning these manufacturing functions to external vendors to cut costs, it said in the WARN Act filing.
Phononic notified the affected employees that the separation would be permanent and that they do not having bumping rights, meaning they will not be able to displace more junior employees out of their job positions as a result of the layoff.
Durham County has the 18th lowest unemployment rate in the state. Phononic’s layoff marks the county’s first in 2024 and the Triangle’s fourth.
Phononic opened a subsidiary in Thailand in mid April. The office is expected to bolster existing partnerships in the region by coordinating sales support and supply chain partnerships.
A New York-based grocery store chain launched the use of Phononic’s freezer and refrigerator totes in February.
