Over 5,100 Freight-Related Jobs Eliminated Across U.S. Supply Chain
According to FreightWaves, more than 5,183 workers have been affected by layoffs, facility closures, and contract losses in the U.S. freight and logistics sector. The cuts span at least 20 states and impact warehouse operators, trucking firms, manufacturers, and food logistics providers. The majority of these reductions are tied to supply chain restructuring, declining industrial demand, customer contract losses, and operational consolidations.
Major Layoffs from FreshRealm, Amazon, and Logistics Providers
One of the largest workforce reductions came from FreshRealm, a ready-to-eat meal supplier for brands including Blue Apron, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company announced layoffs affecting more than 1,026 workers across three facilities: 228 in Tracy, California; 637 in Linden, New Jersey; and 161 in Lancaster, Texas. The Tracy plant is scheduled to close permanently on June 27, 2026, following disruptions linked to a 2025 listeria outbreak.
Amazon temporarily shut down a 1.3 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Homestead, Florida, for a two-year retrofit project, impacting approximately 616 employees. Workers were offered transfers to other South Florida facilities.
Third-Party Logistics and Warehousing Cuts
Third-party logistics providers are also undergoing major restructuring. GEODIS filed a WARN notice in California for 238 layoffs at its Rialto warehouse, effective July 3, 2026. DSV will close a facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, resulting in up to 163 job losses after losing a customer contract. Ryder System expects to terminate 151 workers in Green Bay, Wisconsin, following the nonrenewal of a customer contract.
Other notable closures include National Safety Apparel’s San Antonio division, which will affect 68 workers, and Southern Mail Service’s Houston operations, where up to 50 employees could face layoffs due to changes in USPS contract requirements.
Automotive and Industrial Manufacturing Job Losses
Automotive-related manufacturing layoffs accounted for nearly 600 job cuts. Adient will close its Athens, Tennessee, plant, eliminating 210 jobs. Yanfeng announced 153 layoffs in Chattanooga due to a slowdown in automotive production. Industrial manufacturer Milliken & Company is closing facilities in South Carolina and Georgia, affecting 207 workers as part of an ongoing consolidation and modernization effort.
Additional manufacturing layoffs include Serta Mattress Co. (101 jobs in Cullman, Alabama), Knouse Foods Cooperative (148 jobs in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania), and Peterson Brands (135 jobs in Fort Myers, Florida). Swiss Krono Barnwell (130 jobs in South Carolina) and Tsubaki Nakashima (129 jobs in Erwin, Tennessee) also cited global optimization and competitiveness restructuring as reasons for workforce reductions.
Reasons Behind the Layoffs
Companies cited a combination of factors, including broader restructuring efforts, changing market conditions, declining business volumes, and efforts to modernize production and logistics operations. Some closures followed mergers or contract losses. For example, Maersk’s Lakewood/Sumner, Washington, contract logistics facility faced 49 job losses due to shifting market dynamics, while Cummins Whitestown, Indiana, saw 59 job losses from the closure of a regional distribution center.
“The restructuring is driven by declining volumes, tighter margins, and the need to streamline operations in a post-pandemic environment.” — Supply chain analyst, quoted in FreightWaves
Industry Impact and Regional Spread
The layoffs are not isolated to one region. The data shows impacts across multiple states, including California, New Jersey, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and Indiana. The trend reflects a broader recalibration in U.S. supply chain infrastructure, with companies scaling back on excess capacity and shifting toward leaner, more agile models.
- 5,183 total workers affected
- 1,026 layoffs at FreshRealm across three U.S. facilities
- 616 workers impacted by Amazon’s Homestead, Florida, fulfillment center retrofit
- 238 layoffs announced by GEODIS in Rialto, California
- 163 job losses expected at DSV’s Edwardsville, Illinois, facility
Source: FreightWaves
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
