Nearly 100 employees of a Georgia manufacturer will be out of work when the company closes one of its two plants in Columbus at the end of July.
The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports Gildan Yarns, LLC, will close its Fourth Avenue location July 28. Gildan Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications Garry Bell says workers were notified about the pending closure Wednesday.
The site produces yarn for athletic socks sold under the Gildan family of brands. Company officials say demand has decreased, resulting in the closure.
The company owns another facility in east Columbus. Gildan also owns five other yarn-spinning facilities – four in North Carolina and one in Cedartown, Georgia.
Bell says some of the 97 workers affected by the closure could get positions at the other locations.
Amazon to hire 500 in Georgia
MACON, Ga. – Amazon is looking to fill about 500 part-time and full-time positions during a job fair in Georgia.
The company announced Friday that on-the-spot job offers will be made during the hiring event for Amazon’s fulfillment center in south Bibb County. The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Anderson Conference Center.
The Telegraph reports the new hires will pack and ship large customer items, such as sports equipment, patio furniture, pet food and household goods.
Minimum wage at Amazon is $15 an hour. Full-time employees also receive benefits including health, vision and dental insurance, a 50% matched retirement plan as well as up to 20 weeks for maternity and family leave.
‘Trumponomics’ author wins Medal of Freedom
President Donald Trump is set to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to economist Arthur Laffer, who co-wrote a book about him.
Laffer is known as the father of supply side economics, which gained popularity under President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s with his “Laffer Curve” establishing the concept that lower tax rates spur economic growth, jobs and investment.
Laffer, 78, was a California native but moved to Nashville to take advantage of the state’s lack of a state income tax. Laffer has been supportive of the president and co-wrote a book titled “Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive Our Economy.”
The medal is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It will be awarded June 19.
New owner restarts pharmaceutical plant
An animal pharmaceutical plant in Georgia has restarted operations.
Brazilian drug company Uniao Quimica Farmaceutica Nacional SA acquired the former Elanco facility in Augusta last year. It celebrated the restart of production Thursday.
The Augusta Chronicle reports the company operates through its U.S. subsidiary, Union Agener. It produces an injectable hormone that stimulates milk production in dairy cows and is marketed under the Posilac brand name. The company hopes the Georgia plant will give it an edge over its primary competitor in Brazil, a subsidiary of Merck & Co. that sources the hormone from a South Korean producer.
Uniao hopes to begin selling the product pending regulatory approval in the third or fourth quarter.
The privately-held company is Brazil’s largest pharmaceutical firm and produces generic drugs and over-the-counter medications.