Sugar plant in Taylor warns state of 73 'permanent' layoffs

Taylor — The Michigan Sugar Co. will close its Taylor-based sugar refinery plant, resulting in the layoff of 73 employees, the company disclosed to the state this month. 

The layoffs are expected to take effect in mid-February 2020, according to the company's filing under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or a "WARN" notice. 

The facility to be closed is AmCane Sugar, at 21010 Trolley Industrial Drive in Taylor.

Lynnette Keller, executive director of human resources for the Michigan Sugar Company, filed the WARN notice with the state's Workforce Development Agency on Nov. 5; the agency received it officially Nov. 12.

Unionized employees at the facility are represented by United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 876. There are about 50 union members at that factory, and 19,000 UFCW members overall, said ill Christoff, spokeswoman for the union.

Christoff said the union was working through a "preliminary process" to see if the laid-off employees can transfer to other Michigan Sugar Co. facilities.

In addition, there will be workshops for "overall job placement," and workshops where members can prepare their resumes for the next job opportunity "within 876-represented companies," Christoff said, referring to the local unit of the union.

"We're just building these programs now, so we don't really have any dates or anything like that," Christoff said.

Keller did not immediately respond to a request for comment.