WESTLAKE - American Greetings began laying off staff at it's creative studios in Westlake.
According to company Spokeswoman Patrice Molnar, the lay-offs are part of a restructuring plan.
The company has an estimated 25,000 employees, nearly 1,700 of them at the company's new Crocker Park corporate headquarters.
The company released a statement saying that staff reductions will occur across a variety of departments and functions housed at its local headquarters.
"American Greetings is restructuring and reducing its staff at our Creative Studios in an effort to ensure the ongoing success of the company. Staff reductions will occur today across a variety of departments and functions housed at our Crocker Park world headquarters. Additional changes may occur in our production facilities later this summer. The company is committed to treating all of its associates with respect and compassion, offering severance pay and outplacement assistance. These actions, which included a voluntary early retirement program, will allow us to be appropriately staffed for the foreseeable future. This is a difficult decision, necessitated by changes in the retail marketplace. Nevertheless, American Greetings retains a portfolio of great brands and products, and we remain committed to investing in research and product development to meet the needs of consumers and our retail partners. With these moves, we’re poised to continue our historic success and leadership in the greeting cards industry."
American Greetings didn't say how many people will lose their jobs. They say more layoffs may be coming later this summer.
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