Hoosier workforce hit with hundreds of layoffs since August

INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of Hoosiers will be laid off in the coming months as several companies announce closures, relocations and mass layoffs.

Since August, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has received 10 WARN notices informing the state department of closures, relocations, and/or layoffs. The total number of workers affected by these latest notices totals 1,629.

At the start of August, Target announced the closure of its fulfillment center on W. Morris Street in Indianapolis. A total of 201 employees were terminated on Sept. 19, a vast majority being warehouse workers. Some affected employees were offered roles in other Target locations or departments.

Shine Early Learning announced it was permanently laying off 57 employees based out of Fishers beginning on Sept. 30. These employees’ duties were part of a contract between Shine and the State of Indiana, but the contract ended at the end of September and wasn’t renewed.

Navient Solutions plans to lay off 128 primarily remote workers tied to their Fishers location, according to their WARN notice. These layoffs began in October and will continue until May.

National Distribution Centers has also begun layoffs this October at its Lebanon location on Enterprise Blvd. The transportation and distribution company said 79 workers will be affected by the facility ceasing operations. NDC said it will “attempt to provide employment for employees at other NDC locations.”

Perdue Farms announced a mass layoff in southern Indiana. Perdue Farms plans to eliminate the second shift at its Washington, Indiana, facility. This means 293 lost their jobs on Oct. 10.

Raydia Food Group announced its plans to close three different plants in Indiana.

Troyer Foods on W. Vernal Pike in Bloomington will be permanently closed on Nov. 26. A Raydia Food Group plant in Mishawaka, located at 4100 Edison Lakes Parkway, will also be completely closed that same day. The third plant, located in South Bend at 1840 Commerce Drive, will also be permanently closed on Nov. 26.

Altogether, Raydia Food Group said 200 employees are affected by these three plant closures.

Meanwhile, in North Vernon, 95 workers at GT Industries will be laid off in the coming months. The first layoffs begin on Dec. 1, with another round scheduled for April 13.

The most recent WARN notice, as of Oct. 16, has been filed by Freudenberg Filtration Technologies on Oct. 6. The filtration company said it plans to close its La Porte-based factory and lay off 173 workers.

“This decision was not an easy one, and the company fully recognizes the impact it will have on the employees,” the company said.

Freudenberg Filtration Technologies plans to relocate to a new facility in Lebanon.