Phillips-Medisize Corp. is closing its Medford, Wis., plant by the end of 2023, permanently laying off 83 employees.
The layoffs will begin on or about Aug. 7 with approximately 46 employees being affected at that time, a June 5 WARN letter to the Wisconsin Bureau of Workforce Development said.
The company will lay off another 37 employees in phases that are expected to be complete by Sept. 30.
Phillips had 170 employees at the Medford plant when it announced the closure in August 2022 and "has been making targeted relocations and reduction in personnel" since then, the letter said. "No reduction has previously impacted more than 25 percent of the Medford employees in any 90-day rolling period," it said.
"We will continue to keep our employees closely advised as to their respective separation dates as business needs require," the letter said.
Employees will receive 60 days' notice before their position is impacted, it said. No union represents the affected employees and there is no policy for transfer, bumping or reassignment.
"Available positions at other Phillips locations are being shared with affected employees," the letter said.
The positions eliminated at the Medford plant include operators, manufacturing engineers, mold technicians, material handlers and others.
Phillips-Medisize canceled a planned layoff in July 2022 at its St. Croix Meadows site in Hudson, Wis., that had been planned because of "a sudden and significant drop in demand" from a major customer, it said at the time.
The St. Croix Meadows job cuts were expected to start in October 2022. But on Sept. 20, the firm sent a letter to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development rescinding that decision.