Aug. 29—CARTHAGE, Mo. — Leggett and Platt has announced another plant closing, this one in Florida affecting 78 jobs beginning this fall.
The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notification on Aug. 22 with the state Rapid Response Program coordinator.
Leggett & Platt announced a restructuring plan in January, primarily in its bedding products segment and to a lesser extent in its furniture, flooring and textile products segment, saying it planned to consolidate locations and reduce its manufacturing and distribution footprint to 30 to 35 plants from 50 plants. It is expected to reduce workforce levels over time by 900 to 1,100.
No information was provided on which plants will be affected, and no WARN notices have been filed in Missouri.
In the letter to Florida officials, Leggett & Platt said it "plans to cease production at its manufacturing operation located at 3775 Fancy Farms Road, Plant City, Florida. This action is the result of a consolidation of operations and will result in the permanent elimination of most jobs at this location. ... Based on the best information now available, the company expects the first release of employees on or about Oct. 21, 2024. We anticipate the remaining employees will be released by the end of the first quarter 2025."
While it said 78 people are being let go, it listed employment at "approximately 82."
This is the latest in a series of notifications.
Earlier this summer, Leggett & Platt notified the North Carolina Department of Commerce that it will permanently close an operation in High Point, North Carolina, resulting in 158 layoffs.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act filing with the state indicated the effective date will be July 25.
Since that announcement, the company has closed a plant in Saltillo, Mississippi, affecting 130 workers, and another in Commerce, California, affecting 55 workers.
In a statement provided to Furniture Today following the North Carolina notice, Leggett & Platt said: "This plan is intended to better align our business with an evolving competitive landscape and position our company for profitable growth. As part of these initiatives, we are consolidating our manufacturing footprint to better align capacity with regional demand and enhance our efficiency."
Based in Carthage, Leggett & Platt has operations in 18 countries with about 20,000 employees. About 65% of its plants are in the United States.
In January, president and CEO Mitch Dolloff said in a statement: "The bedding market has experienced unprecedented change in recent years and the competitive landscape has continued to evolve. ... In addition, optimizing our operating footprint in both Bedding Products and Furniture, Flooring & Textile Products will reduce complexity and enhance the efficiency of our business."
In April, Dolloff was replaced and the board of directors appointed Karl Glassman president and CEO. Glassman previously served as CEO from 2016 to 2021.