DHL Closing Ontario Facility, Laying Off 346 Workers Due to Customer Relocation

DHL Facility Closure and Layoffs

• 📦 DHL Supply Chain is set to close its package handling facility in Ontario, California, resulting in the layoff of 346 employees.
• 🗓️ The layoffs are scheduled to begin in July 2025 and continue through August 2025.
• 📉 The closure is attributed to one of DHL's customers relocating a portion of their distribution operations.

Impacted Positions and Worker Support

• 🧑‍💼 Positions affected range from field managers and human resources to a significant number of order filler pickers (222 employees).
• 📢 DHL is providing WARN notices to employees, which require employers to give 60 days' notice before mass layoffs.
• 🤝 The company states it is working with affected employees to help them find other positions.

Local Economic Context

• 🏭 The Inland Empire region, where Ontario is located, has a substantial logistics industry, with 20% of its labor force working in logistics.
• 📉 Economists suggest that while this specific closure might have a minor impact, newly imposed tariffs could threaten more layoffs in the future.
• 🚢 Tariffs are expected to affect imports, with a projected 50% reduction in tonnage coming from China in the coming months compared to the previous year.