Virginia Layoffs — October 2011
Employers in Virginia submitted 9 WARN Act notices in October 2011, putting at risk an estimated 901 workers — up substantially from September and up 395% versus October 2010. The average filing covered 100 workers, with 7 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 5 | 549 |
| Transportation | 2 | 184 |
| Retail | 1 | 95 |
| Accommodation & Food | 1 | 73 |
The Manufacturing sector emerged as the hardest-hit sector with 549 workers across 5 notices. Separately, Transportation reported 184 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield | 3 | 321 |
| Henrico | 1 | 123 |
| Martinsville City | 1 | 110 |
| Newport News City | 1 | 98 |
| Greensville | 1 | 95 |
Chesterfield felt the sharpest impact, accounting for 36% of all affected workers with 321 workers across 3 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | 3 | 321 |
| Henrico | 1 | 123 |
| Martinsville | 1 | 110 |
| Newport News | 1 | 98 |
| Emporia | 1 | 95 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 7 | 717 |
| Layoff | 2 | 184 |
The high proportion of closures (80% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Virginia's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuadGraphics N | Richmond | 126 | Closure | |
| Berry Plastics | Henrico | 123 | Closure | |
| GRTC Transit System | Richmond | 122 | Layoff | |
| Rock-Tenn | Martinsville | 110 | Closure | |
| Muller Martini Manufacturing | Newport News | 98 | Closure | |
| Lowe\'s Home Centers | Emporia | 95 | Closure | |
| Genie | Shenandoah | 92 | Closure | |
| ARL Richmond Management LLC (Richmond Ramada Plaza) One Post Office Square Suite | Richmond | 73 | Closure | |
| MV Transportation | Norfolk | 62 | Layoff |
Topping the list was QuadGraphics N at its Richmond facility, reporting 126 affected workers. Berry Plastics followed with 123 workers.
Trend & Outlook
After a dip last month, layoff activity has ticked back up.
These figures highlight mounting pressure on the Virginia labor market, with activity running above both recent and year-ago benchmarks. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Virginia. 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 Virginia WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.