Rheem to Lay Off Nearly 100 Workers in Fort Smith

by Talk Business & Politics ([email protected]) 184 views 

Rheem Manufacturing Co. will lay off between 75 and 100 hourly workers at its Fort Smith plant, the company said Thursday.

The Atlanta-based manufacturer of air conditioners and heat pumps released a statement saying the layoffs, effective Jan. 11, are “a result of seasonal adjustments in volume.”

The statement read, in part: “Today’s adjustment is consistent with annual staffing changes at this time of year. Rheem is constantly evaluating its employment needs for competitiveness, and we will make staffing modifications in the future as market conditions change.”

The Fort Smith plant makes residential air conditioners.

In June 2011, the company said it would cut about 250 jobs at the plant over the next three years as it expands its operations in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.