News-Record.com

WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — A North Carolina textile company says it is laying off white collar workers in its home city as part of a cutback that includes closing a yarn plant elsewhere in the state.

Hanesbrands Inc. announced on Tuesday cuts of 210 corporate and management jobs across the company, including 155 positions in Winston-Salem.

Hanesbrands said half of the cuts are in purchasing, production planning and development and quality control. The other half are in customer management, finance, human resources, information technology and marketing.

The company said it also will close a yarn plant in China Grove in Rowan County by the end of the year and eliminate 185 jobs.

"Some of the employees were affected immediately, some will be by the end of the month, some by the end of the year, and some early next year," said Matt Hall, a spokesman for Hanesbrands.

Hanesbrands has said it would take up to $250 million in restructuring charges by next September as it reduces domestic production and increases it in Central America, the Caribbean and Asia. The company said it would close nine plants in five countries and lay off about 8,000 employees, or 12 percent of its work force.

In China Grove, the news hit hard.

Town Mayor Don Bringle, who worked at the plant 27 years, said there had been speculation about its fate after Hanesbrands closed a plant in Gastonia earlier this year.

"It couldn't come at a worse time with the economy being what it is," said Bringle, who was a vice president when his job was eliminated in 2000.

Hanesbrands manufactures apparel including underwear and casual clothing. The company's brands include Hanes, Playtex, L'eggs and Bali.

The company said it will continue yarn production operations in Mountain City, Tenn.; Rabun Gap, Ga.; Galax, Va., and Sanford.