Cardone lays off 1,300 employees, roots plant to Mexico

More than one thousand employees of Cardone Industries’ manufacturing plant in Northeast Philadelphia will be laid off as the company moves some of it’s services to Mexico, Philly Mag reports.

Cardone Industries which Philly.com reports “calls itself the city’s largest remaining manufacturing company,” told the Pennsylvania Department of Labor about the plan last month. A spokesman for the company explained that the process will be gradual with employees being let go “at a rate of about 10 to 20 a month this year, and 20 to 30 a month from the later part of 2017 into 2018.”

The outsourcing is mostly driven by competition from other companies which have also moved operations overseas and across the border. In total, 1,300 workers are expected to be let go.

“Competitors are outsourcing jobs to China, India and Mexico,” the spokesman explained. “In order to be competitive, you have to pay the same level of wages.”

In the wake of the layoffs the company will be working with the city and local community colleges to help place laid off employees in other jobs, Philly.com reports.

Matt Lee is a web producer for Metro New York. He writes about almost everything and anything. Talk to him (or yell at him) on Twitter so he doesn’t feel lonely@mattlee2669.