Saddle Creek Logistics to lay off 54 Richmond employees

Florida-based Saddle Creek Logistics Services plans to lay off 54 employees at its Richmond location in July.

Saddle Creek, in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, notified the state Friday of plans for a mass layoff at the Richmond site at 4701 Commerce Drive. Human Resources Director Stacey Loyd wrote in a letter to Virginia Works Rapid Response State Coordinator Brett Tavel that the layoffs are expected to be permanent.

She wrote that affected employees have been notified of their separation dates, and layoffs are expected to begin on July 1 and completed by July 31.

“There will not be any bumping rights for the affected employees, that is, employees will not be able to displace more junior employees out of their job positions as a result of this mass layoff,” she wrote.

The supply chain solutions company, which specializes in order fulfillment, warehousing and transportation services, has a 460,000 square-foot facility at 4701 Commerce Drive in Richmond.

Saddle Creek did not immediately return requests for comment on the reason for the layoffs.

The company announced earlier this year it was laying off 73 workers from an Atlanta operation, starting on June 1.

In an April 3 blog post, Saddle Creek noted that shifting trade policies are bound to have a far-reaching impact on global supply chains.

The company said tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump “are expected to have a sizable impact on a wide variety of consumer product categories.” It also said recent developments with trade are prompting many companies to reevaluate their supply chains and explore both short and long-term strategies to mitigate risks.

Virginia Works has reported multiple companies’ plans to lay off workers over the past few months. In May, Georgia-Pacific said it planned to close its plywood mill in Emporia, leaving 554 people unemployed, and in April, Sterling-based business management firm Goldschmitt and Associates said it expected to lay off 217 employees in May. Federal contractor Mitre announced in April it would lay off 442 people in McLean by June 3.