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Hanesbrands announces layoffs in Winston-Salem

Wednesday, November 19, 2008
(Updated 7:47 am)

WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — A North Carolina textile company says it is laying off white collar workers in its home city as part of a cutback that includes closing a yarn plant elsewhere in the state.

Hanesbrands Inc. announced on Tuesday cuts of 210 corporate and management jobs across the company, including 155 positions in Winston-Salem.

Hanesbrands said half of the cuts are in purchasing, production planning and development and quality control. The other half are in customer management, finance, human resources, information technology and marketing.

The company said it also will close a yarn plant in China Grove in Rowan County by the end of the year and eliminate 185 jobs.

"Some of the employees were affected immediately, some will be by the end of the month, some by the end of the year, and some early next year," said Matt Hall, a spokesman for Hanesbrands.

Hanesbrands has said it would take up to $250 million in restructuring charges by next September as it reduces domestic production and increases it in Central America, the Caribbean and Asia. The company said it would close nine plants in five countries and lay off about 8,000 employees, or 12 percent of its work force.

In China Grove, the news hit hard.

Town Mayor Don Bringle, who worked at the plant 27 years, said there had been speculation about its fate after Hanesbrands closed a plant in Gastonia earlier this year.

"It couldn't come at a worse time with the economy being what it is," said Bringle, who was a vice president when his job was eliminated in 2000.

Hanesbrands manufactures apparel including underwear and casual clothing. The company's brands include Hanes, Playtex, L'eggs and Bali.

The company said it will continue yarn production operations in Mountain City, Tenn.; Rabun Gap, Ga.; Galax, Va., and Sanford.

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babyloui

November 19, 2008 - 8:17 am EST

First off I used to work for HBI, my husband still does until friday 11/21. If these companies want to ship everything to China and everywhere else then, sell it there don't bring it back here. We have lost so many jobs because companies are so greedy.I feel they could have at least waited until AFTER the holidays .They are causing people so much stress and I'm sure depression.And, I'm sure those CEO's will enjoy their holiday !!! But, what about the thousands of people who actually did the dirty work (and trust me a cotton mill is dirty work ) and now the big shots are so worried about the company. When was the last time they didn't have perks or went without raises?So, if you bring it to another country to make it keep it there let them buy it, after all they'll be getting a paycheck unlike the employees who gave years to a company that is full of greed !!! PS. To ALL HBI HIGHER UPS MERRY CHRISTMAS !

ronmecham

November 19, 2008 - 11:21 am EST

Since when did you think that anything other than the bottom line was what hanes was worried about? All I want to know is when were we forced to realize that the day of the gold watch was replaced with the day of the golden parachute.

jsmith46

November 19, 2008 - 5:04 pm EST

Like many other failing businesses, HBI is simply making products a majority can't afford and will not buy. As a result, they have to lower the production costs. I worked on a construction project with the "white collar" area and most of them sat around playing games on their computer and talking on cell phones. I saw four employees stand in the hallway for almost an hour planning a baby shower! Geesh, it don't take much to see why they are being cut!

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