Fujifilm closing out plants in South Carolina plants, 400 set to lose jobs

Fujifilm Corp. will be shutting its plants in South Carolina, and in the process, it will displace 400 workers. The Japanese photo company headquartered in Tokyo said that the demand for photographic supplies such as photo paper, recyclable cameras, and digital printing materials has plummeted in recent years.

Cause of the closures

As a result, it will close down several plants in the said U.S. state. To be more specific, Fujifilm will get rid of four plants in Greenwood, and the company is expecting to complete the closures by September 2022, Fox Business reported.

In the whole state, the company employs around 700 people, and 400 of them are bound to lose their jobs when the plants cease operations next year. The remaining employees who are in the human resource and finance units will continue to work in Fujifilm’s warehouses in Greenwood.

Fujifilm first opened its facilities in South Carolina in 1988. For the past 33 years since it set foot in the state, it invested almost $2 billion in the territory.

Support for workers who will be unemployed

As per Index-Journal, the company will provide some support to those who will go jobless soon. It was said that Fujifilm may move some of the workers to other facilities or third-party affiliates.

"Market economic trends and a declining demand for many of the products manufactured in Greenwood challenged us to focus on how we adapt our efforts to continue to build a global, sustainable approach for Fujifilm,” president of Fujifilm Manufacturing U.S.A., Todd Croker, said during the announcement.

Moreover, Joe Metzger, vice president of corporate communications at Fujifilm Holdings, clarified that the closure of the plants is not related to the workers’ performance but rather due to the sluggish performance of the company. Those who will not be moved to other facilities for work will be receiving severance packages.

“FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. has been a fixture in our business community for decades, helping to solidify the state’s strength in foreign direct investment,” director of marketing and communications for the state Department of Commerce, Alex Clark, commented with regards to Fujifilm’s closures. “We are committed to navigating the future together and appreciate Fujifilm’s ongoing commitment to South Carolina.”