AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT YANFENG

Novi, Michigan-based Yanfeng, a manufacturer of automotive interior, exterior, seating, cockpit electronics, and passive safety components, has announced the closure of its Romulus, Michigan production facility, with work being transferred to other company facilities.

The closure will impact 192 employees, mainly assembly personnel, with separations scheduled on January 5, 2026.

According to a company spokesperson, "The layoff is necessary due to work being moved from the Romulus site to other Yanfeng facilities. If any opportunity to relocate employees presents itself, we will extend such offers at the time they become available."

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Lake Forest, Illinois-based Packaging Corporation of America, a manufacturer of packaging materials and containers, has announced a restructuring that will result in the permanent shutdown of its No. 2 paper machine and kraft pulping facilities at its Wallula, Washington, mill.

The shutdown will impact 200 employees with layoffs commencing on February 9, 2026.

According to Chairman and CEO Mark Kowlzan, “We recognize the impact of decisions like this on our employees and will provide support through this process. We greatly appreciate their efforts and our decision is not a reflection on their performance. We are taking these steps to support the future viability of the mill and improve our efficiency and cost position, while continuing to invest in our future growth."

"We face a challenging and worsening cost environment at the Wallula mill. Wood fiber and purchased power costs are by far the highest in our system, making the currently configured mill no longer competitive. By operating as a single-machine, recycled mill, we will streamline operations at the facility and significantly lower our cost of production, while continuing to produce high quality containerboard for our plants and customers. We have significantly invested in the W3 machine and its capabilities after we converted it to containerboard in 2018. Moving some production to lower-cost PCA facilities where we are investing in production improvements will further optimize our mill system, resulting in even greater efficiencies.”

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT WOOD GROUP

Dubai-based Sidara, an international consulting company offering engineering, architecture, planning, environmental consulting, project and construction management services, announced a restructuring that affects Houston, Texas-based Wood Group, which has announced a reduction in force.

The reduction in force will affect 180 employees, mostly in white-collar roles, in Freeport, Texas, after a client ended a nest maintenance program, affecting Wood Group's engineering consulting services.

Change is constant, and it's coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, nor promises of a bright future. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?