Michigan's manufacturing sector - especially food and beverage - has had an absolutely terrible 2025. Factories have been closing left and right... And unfortunately, the pain is already poised to continue into 2026. And this one's a pretty big name... More specifically, Utz Brands (maker of the eponymous chips) has announced plans to shutter its Grand Rapids factory by the end of January 2026, with warehouse [...]
Wisconsin abruptly loses 2 more factories as economic downturn accelerates
Wisconsin is having a rough 2025, no doubt about it. After a painful wave of factory losses earlier this year... Unfortunately, more are incoming. More specifically, Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector is taking another hit as two long-running facilities recently closed, leaving a fresh gap in the state’s industrial workforce. Midwest Perishable Industries recently shut down operations at its Madison factory. The [...]
New Jersey abruptly loses another plant with 200+ jobs gone
2025 may go down in history as one of the worst years for New Jersey's embattled manufacturing sector. After a string of painful and embarrassing factory and plant closures... Unfortunately, more are on the way. More specifically, Panera Bread recently closed its Edison fresh-dough bakery, at the cost of 201 good, local jobs. This is part of a broader strategic pivot by Panera away from fresh-baked dough at its [...]
New York’s sudden factory closure costs 287 jobs as unemployment downturn accelerates
New York just keeps losing factories. After far too many closures earlier this year... Unfortunately there's another major loss to report. More specifically, New York’s manufacturing base took a sizable blow when PepsiCo closed its snack-food facility in Liberty, Sullivan County. (PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, which includes a lot of snack brands.) The plant had produced the PopCorners brand and employed about 287 [...]
Tennessee abruptly loses another factory and 150+ jobs as recession fears spiral
Tennessee has had a rough 2025 for sure. With waves of factory closures impacting the state economy... And far too many big names doing layoffs and shutting down plants. Unfortunately, Tennessee is facing another industrial blow as the DeRoyal Industries plant in LaFollette will shut down by the end of 2025, at the cost of another 153 jobs. The company filed a WARN notice with state officials confirming the [...]
Georgia abruptly loses 2 more factories as downturn accelerates
Georgia has already had a rough 2025, and yet somehow it seems to keep getting worse. After a wave of painful factory closures that slammed the state economy... Unfortunately, more pain is incoming. More specifically, two more factories have recently shut down at the cost of hundreds of jobs. Georgia‑Pacific recently closed its containerboard mill in Cedar Springs, Ga., impacting approximately 535 employees. The [...]
