Caldwell County furniture plant could lay off hundreds of workers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Heritage Home Group, a furniture company in Lenoir, filed paperwork, which indicated hundreds of workers may lose their jobs after it filed for bankruptcy last month.

Employees said they became concerned several weeks ago when Heritage Home Group announced it was filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Heritage Home Group could possibly lay off 712 workers in the next two months at its Lenoir Upholstery and Case Goods plants. The news came after delays in finding a potential buyer for its Thomasville and Broyhill businesses.

"We're going to shut down in 60 days,” employee Craig Clonch said.

The company filed a warn notice adjustment retraining notification with the state this week, alerting local leaders about the possibility of mass layoffs.

"They don't tell us anything,” employee Scott Wright said. “They say there should be a buyer but outside of that we don't know anything except we have a 60-day termination notice."

The furniture industry has recovered from the recession in Caldwell County. There are job-hiring signs from other companies posted near the entrance to the Broyhill facility.

Workers are preparing for the job losses but are hopeful they can find work in a county where the unemployment rate is down to 4 percent.

"Just staying positive,” employee Rueben Perez said. “Been here for 20 years. I'm just going to hang in until it shuts down."

Company officials said if they can't find a buyer, they expect the job losses to be permanent. That could happen within 60 days.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

• Charlotte elementary school on lockdown after shots fired in parking lot
• I-77 reopened 19 hours after dump truck collides with overpass bridge
• Woman found walking on I-77 in Mooresville with abducted infant
• WATCH: Keith Monday's Thursday forecast outlook
• Grandmother beaten to death, grandson assaulted during home break-in

Cox Media Group