Stanley Furniture to layoff nearly half of employees at Robbinsville, North Carolina, facility

Stanley Furniture to layoff nearly half of employees at Robbinsville, North Carolina, facility
By Dee Dee Yelverton- - - - -

[12-14-2006]
Stanley Furniture will layoff nearly half — 200 out of 450 — employees at its Robbinsville, North Carolina, facility, including management and hourly workers, beginning in February. Jeffrey R. Scheffer, chairman, president and chief executive officer, cites changing business conditions as the reason. "The industry wide slowdown that has led to slower sales requires us to balance production and staffing levels throughout our four facilities," he says in a statement. "We sincerely regret the impact on some of our Robbinsville associates. However, this difficult decision is necessary to better align our staffing levels and work schedules with current business conditions."

The layoffs will be staggered, beginning February 12, according to company spokesperson, Robin Campbell. Company officials say that they will they will work closely with the North Carolina Employment Security Commission to provide career counseling, training and job search assistance, including referrals, for affected employees.