Brown-Forman closing Louisville cooperage, reducing global workforce by 12%
By Curadhan Powell
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Brown-Forman Corporation announced Tuesday that it is closing its cooperage in Louisville and laying off workers across the globe.
The Louisville-based spirits and wine company, one of the largest in the United States, said that it is “engaging in a series of strategic initiatives to position for continued growth in the dynamic global spirits market.”
These initiatives include restructuring the executive leadership team, implementing a workforce reduction, and closing the cooperage on MacLean Avenue near the airport.
A cooperage is where the barrels are made that bourbon and other spirits go into for aging.
In Louisville, 210 people will lose their jobs when the cooperage closes. That is supposed to happen by April 25.
Brown-Forman said it will offer severance, outplacement services, and benefits consistent with their terms of employment.
Moving forward, Brown-Forman said it will source barrels from an external supplier to ensure a steady supply of barrels at a competitive price.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to our employees, particularly those impacted by these changes, for their dedication and contributions to Brown-Forman,” said Lawson Whiting, President & Chief Executive Officer, in a news release. “We are committed to supporting them through this transition and are confident that these strategic initiatives will ensure the company endures for generations to come.”
Across the world, 12% of the company’s 5,400 employees will be impacted, so close to 650 people will lose their jobs.
Brown-Forman said it is also committed to support those laid off with comprehensive transition agreements that include severance, outplacement services, and other benefits.
There was no word on whether or not jobs in Louisville besides the cooperage would be part of the 12% global reduction.
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