Michigan Layoffs — October 2009
Employers in Michigan posted 9 WARN Act notices in October 2009, affecting an estimated 863 workers — reflecting a significant uptick compared to September and down 86% versus October 2008. The average filing covered 96 workers, with 7 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7 | 690 |
| Information & Technology | 1 | 97 |
| Retail | 1 | 76 |
The Manufacturing sector saw the heaviest impact with 690 workers across 7 notices. On a related front, Information & Technology reported 97 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 2 | 193 |
| Ottawa | 2 | 166 |
| Muskegon | 1 | 133 |
| Lenawee | 1 | 130 |
| Grand Traverse | 1 | 122 |
Oakland saw the most concentrated activity, accounting for 22% of all affected workers with 193 workers across 2 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Holland | 2 | 166 |
| Muskegon | 1 | 133 |
| Madison Heights | 1 | 133 |
| Clinton | 1 | 130 |
| Traverse City | 1 | 122 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 7 | 597 |
| Layoff | 2 | 266 |
The high proportion of closures (69% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Alloy | Muskegon | 133 | Layoff | |
| Valenite | Madison Heights | 133 | Layoff | |
| Pilkington North America | Clinton | 130 | Closure | |
| Metavations | Traverse City | 122 | Closure | |
| FormTech Industries | Fraser | 97 | Closure | |
| Propak | Holland | 90 | Closure | |
| Kmart #3662 | Holland | 76 | Closure | |
| Premier Manufacturing Support Services | Lake Orion | 60 | Closure | |
| Michigan Rubber Products | Cadillac | 22 | Closure |
The largest notice was filed by Eagle Alloy at its Muskegon facility, reporting 133 affected workers. Valenite followed with 133 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
The trends suggest a mixed picture for Michigan's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.