With political winds changing and global markets tightening, manufacturers are making tough decisions—and workers are feeling the impact. In this roundup, we chronicle the closures and cutbacks reverberating throughout the manufacturing sector. As uncertainty becomes the new normal, we examine how businesses and workers alike are navigating a rapidly changing industrial landscape.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Barrette Outdoor Living Inc., a manufacturer of fencing, decking, and other outdoor products, has laid off 63 employees at its manufacturing facility in Salisbury, North Carolina, about 45 miles north of Charlotte. The company informed employees and the state on July 1 that the layoffs were effective immediately, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) filing.

According to The Bellingham Herald, Alpha Technologies Services Inc., a manufacturer of commercial energy equipment for various industries, under parent company EnerSys, plans to lay off 75 employees and permanently close its operations in Bellingham, Washington. The layoffs will begin on Aug. 31, 2026, and the operations unit is expected to close by Oct. 15, with manufacturing and assembly operations being transferred to an existing facility in Suwanee, Georgia. In a recent quote, Lisa Hartman, vice president of investor relations and corporate communications at EnerSys, said, “This decision was made only after careful consideration and reflects our ongoing efforts to optimize our manufacturing footprint and leverage increased capacity created through continuous improvement initiatives, while continuing to meet customer demand and commitments.”

According to a filed WARN notice, published by USA Today, by A. O. Smith Corporation, the company is permanently closing its water treatment manufacturing plant in Groveport, Ohio, and its warehouse in Lockbourne, Ohio. A. O. Smith, which manufactures water treatment products, expects to permanently lay off approximately 92 employees over the next six months beginning on Aug. 24, 2026, with affected positions spanning production, engineering, maintenance, quality, and administrative roles. In a recent quote, Lauren Staiduhar, director of human resources at A. O. Smith Corporation, said, “After careful consideration and many internal conversations, we’ve decided to close A. O. Smith Corporation’s Groveport, Ohio facility and move production to Appleton, Wisconsin, and Haltom City, Texas.”

According to TheStreet, Skylark Meats, a producer of beef and pork products and the nation’s largest liver producer, will permanently close its plant in Omaha, Nebraska, resulting in the layoff of 218 employees. The layoffs are expected to take effect at the end of business on Aug. 25, 2026, when all operations at the facility will cease. In a recent quote, Amy Bodkin, executive vice president of human resources at Skylark Meats, said, “We expect all employees impacted by this action to separate from employment as a result of this action as of the end of business on August 25, 2026. All operations at the facility will cease at that time.”

According to the Morgan County Citizen, Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer, has laid off 300 employees globally, representing just under 2% of its workforce. The cuts affected non-production functions, specifically sales, marketing, service, and customer organizations, and mark the company's fourth round of layoffs since the beginning of 2024 as it continues to face financial challenges and pursue profitability. In a recent quote, Rivian said, “We recently restructured a handful of teams within Rivian as we work to profitably scale our business.”