Factory Fallout: Manufacturing layoffs from Novartis, Baker Hughes, Carlex Glass America, and more
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.
Novartis plans to lay off 322 employees at its U.S. headquarters in East Hanover, New Jersey, with the cuts taking effect in October. This is the company's fourth round of layoffs in New Jersey this year, following earlier reductions affecting 114, 60, and 76 employees across sales, patient support, marketing, and biomedical research roles. In a company statement, Novartis said, “Novartis continually evaluates opportunities to align our organization with evolving patient, customer and business needs. As part of this, we are making changes across our Field Sales, Patient Support and Marketing organizations to enhance operational efficiency and ensure we are investing resources where they can have the greatest impact.”
Baker Hughes is closing its Emmott Road facility in northwest Houston, Texas, resulting in the layoff of 174 employees. According to the WARN notice, the layoffs will begin this month and continue into 2027, affecting workers in manufacturing, engineering, materials, purchasing, and other support roles. A Baker Hughes spokesperson said that the company “continually reviews our portfolio and business operations to ensure we are best positioned to serve our customers and deliver on our long-term growth objectives.”
Carlex Glass America, LLC will close its manufacturing facility in Vonore, Tennessee, with operations ending by September and 325 employees expected to be impacted. The company said the closure is part of a broader effort to realign its manufacturing footprint, with operations moving to Nashville. In a recent quote, Carlex CEO Ramzi Hermiz said, “This decision was a difficult one because of the enormous contribution of so many amazing team members in Vonore, as well as our ties to the broader community that we have called home and supported for so long, but it in no way reflects a decision to reduce Carlex’s commitment to the State of Tennessee.”
Janus International announced that 75 employees will be permanently laid off from its facility at 620 W. Main St. in Butler, IN, as the site is converted into a distribution center. The facility will remain open, and nine employees will be retained during the transition.