La-Z-Boy to Lay Off at Least 645

[Trillo]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Furniture giant La-Z-Boy Inc. announced plans to close three manufacturing plants and idle a fourth, laying off at least 645 workers and taking a $13 million pretax charge against earnings this year as it accelerates its shift to more foreign production.
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La-Z-Boy said it plans to cease production at its Pennsylvania House plant in Lewisburg, Pa., and at a nearby dining room chair assembly plant in White Deer, Pa., late this year. Closing those plants and associated warehouses in Pennsylvania will result in layoffs affecting 425, or 15 percent of the company's employees who produce wood furniture, La-Z-Boy said.

In addition, La-Z-Boy plans to idle by mid-September a Kincaid wood-furniture plant in Hudson, N.C., that employs 120. La-Z-Boy said layoffs of those workers would be temporary until the company can determine how much domestic demand it needs for wood products.

La-Z-Boy will also close a Booneville, Miss., plant producing England brand upholstered furniture and a warehouse that had recently produced Clayton Marcus furniture. The England plant employed 100. A La-Z-Boy spokesman wasn't immediately available to provide the total number of workers at warehouses that will be closed.
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