St. Cloud Fulfillment Distribution Center draws closer to October deadline for 350 layoffs
It appears there has been little or no movement for St. Cloud-based Fulfillment Distribution Center, nearly two months after it was announced that it might be closing by late October, at the expense of at least 350 jobs.
Messages could not be left by phone on Wednesday at FDC, and an email message seeking an update was not immediately returned.
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On April 23, the company reported to city and state officials the imminent layoffs after it learned its sole client, Publisher’s Clearing House, which is based in Jericho, New York, announced plans to close its commerce line because of increasing postage, shipping and supply-chain expenses.
FDC, based at 720 Anderson Ave. N., has collaborated solely with Publisher’s Clearing House since 1998, facilitating shipment of more than 500 million packages in the past quarter-century. As recent as last year, FDC was among the top 15 largest businesses in St. Cloud, employing more than 400 people.
At the time of the announcement, FDC and city officials said they would continue to look for other clients. As of Wednesday, FDC’s website was still seeking mail sorters, machine operators, packagers, order pickers, truck loaders/unloaders and forklift operators.
If the layoffs take place as expected, it will be the largest number of workers laid off at one time in St. Cloud since 900 workers were affected by the close of the Electrolux facility a few blocks east in 2019. Its site, at 701 33rd Ave. N., remains vacant since Electrolux shut down manufacturing and production of upright freezers.
The most recent unemployment figures in St. Cloud were for April and indicated a rate of 3%. That’s a second consecutive monthly decline from 3.8% in February. Unemployment has not been above 4% since October 2021. The Electrolux layoffs combined with COVID-19 to help precipitate a peak of 14.8% unemployment in May 2020 – the highest rate in more than 35 years.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: St. Cloud Fulfillment Distribution Center looks for new business
