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329 layoffs hit freight-related firms in Texas

Logistics firm closes Fort Worth facility; snack supplier closing Lubbock facility

Ohio-based snack maker Shearer’s Foods is permanently closing a production facility in Lubbock, Texas, and laying off 176 workers. (Photo: Shearer’s Foods)

Shearer’s Foods

Shearer’s Foods is permanently closing a production facility in Lubbock, Texas, and laying off all 176 workers, according to a filing with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

The Massillon, Ohio-based company is a contract manufacturer and private label supplier of salty snacks, cookies and crackers.

“After an extensive period of consideration, the difficult decision has been made to shutter production at our facility in Lubbock, effective March 31,” the company said in an email to FreightWaves. “This decision came after closely analyzing our supply chain and determining how to best manufacture our products to service our customers. The decision was made largely due to a decrease in demand from the largest customer of the facility.” 

Shearer’s opened the 180,000-square-foot facility in Lubbock in 2007. The company and its subsidiaries currently operate 16 manufacturing facilities and a distribution center in North America. Company officials did not say if they plan to close other facilities.


In December, Shearer’s Foods was acquired by New York-based private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Hollingsworth

Transportation and logistics provider Hollingsworth is shutting down a distribution center in Fort Worth and laying off 153 workers. 

Company officials said the facility’s closure was related to losing a contract with security and aerospace firm Lockheed Martin. All employees will be terminated by March 31.

The employees, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 776, have begun applying for positions at Lockheed, officials said.


“The reason for our ceasing operations relates to Lockheed Martin opting not to renew our commercial agreement and taking the work … in house,” Hollingsworth officials said in a notice filed with the TWC. “The majority of our employees at this location have interviewed with Lockheed Martin in hopes of retaining their position with that company.” 

Hollingsworth is based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company has 27 facilities across the country and employs about 4,000 workers.

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6 Comments

  1. Philip

    Our tax system is geared toward short term only. Politicians view long term basically a tax dodge because even they cannot see past the next election.

  2. Heather Woods

    Costco has been paying its employees higher wages than the competition for decades. And despite that it has done well from a financial, operational and shareholder return perspective.

    So it is certainly possible. Just depends on what model you want to follow.

  3. Sean Stewart

    This seems to be the standard for too many companies in the US. Outsource everything in order to lower wages for more workers. Corporate America has been doing this for decades and they don’t care about the long term effects on the economy, but only the short term profits. This in turn leads to companies going out of business, which means no money in the future.

Comments are closed.

Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com