Clothing-maker Hanesbrands will lay off 159 workers in April when it repurposes one of its distribution centers in Winston-Salem, according to paperwork filed with the state.
Ending operations at its Annapolis Distribution Center will improve efficiencies and reduce costs, according to a statement released by the company. “Unfortunately, this will impact our associates, who we thank for their dedication to HanesBrands,” according to the statement.
The layoffs will take effect April 5. The distribution center first opened in 1996, closed in 2010, and was reopened in 2011. Hanesbrands employs about 1,100 workers in Forsyth County and 2,500 in North Carolina, according to the company.
“Hanesbrands Inc. is committed to assisting our associates to the greatest extent possible to their next employment opportunity,” states a letter to government officials announcing the layoff. “To that end, our Human Resources team will provide a full range of comprehensive outplacement support activities to our affected employees who are not able to secure alternative employment at another HBI location.”
The letter also states Hanebrands will use state resources such as the Commerce Departments’ Rapid Response Team, the local NC Workforce Development and the NCWorks Training Center to help affected employees.
All affected employees have been notified. Hanesbrands workers are not a part of a union and do not have bumping rights. Forsyth County had an unemployment rate of 3.2% in December 2023, which was unchanged from a year earlier.
Hanesbrands has approximately 51,000 employees in 52 countries, and is one of North Carolina’s largest employers. It has more than 2,000 workers in Forsyth County alone. The company reported net sales of $5.7 billion in 2023, an approximate 9% decrease from the prior year. Main brands includes Hanes and Champion. In September 2023, Hanesbrands announced it was considering the sale of Champion.
Hanesbrands has a 52-week trading range between $3.54 and $6, and opened Wednesday at $4.46.