Anderson County, SC – Come July 2026, the Electrolux plant in Anderson County will see its operations pivot, resulting in the dismissal of over 1,200 workers. This significant workforce reduction coincides with a newly formed joint venture between Sweden-based Electrolux Group and China-based Midea Group. The plant, a long-standing pillar of the local industrial landscape, will transition from producing refrigerators to manufacturing laundry appliances.
The layoffs, officially signaled by a WARN notice filed on May 15, 2026, with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, impact an estimated 1,139 to 1,255 employees. The scale of the displacement underscores the immediate disruption to a community that has relied on the plant for decades. Workers are slated to lose their jobs starting in July, with the exact date of separation pay eligibility outlined by Electrolux.
"Employees who’ve received benefits will also get a week of continued coverage for each week of separation pay received."
The separation pay structure varies based on tenure:
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Less than four years of employment: Four weeks of pay.
Ten or more years of employment: One week of pay for each year worked, capped at 26 weeks.
Electrolux has indicated that all affected employees are eligible for rehire, though the timeline and specific conditions for this remain opaque. The company's announcement in April regarding the joint venture with Midea Group preceded the official layoff notifications, setting the stage for this large-scale workforce alteration.
Facility Repurposing and Future Prospects
The Anderson plant is slated to be reconfigured to house advanced laundry manufacturing, a move that Electrolux states will introduce new technology and upgraded production lines. This redevelopment is part of a broader strategic alliance between Electrolux and Midea Group, focusing on North American appliance markets. While refrigerator production is being shifted to Juarez, Mexico, beginning in the fall of 2026, the Anderson facility is targeted for a restart of production in the first half of 2027. Electrolux anticipates gradually re-employing around 1,200 workers throughout 2027 and 2028 as production scales up.
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Local Impact and Corporate Realignments
Local officials, such as Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns, have stated that the county is actively working to assist displaced workers. For 40 years, the Electrolux plant has been a significant employer in Anderson County, with its closure and subsequent repurposing representing a substantial economic jolt. This workforce realignment at the Anderson plant is reportedly part of a larger global restructuring within Electrolux, which has seen announcements of broader job cuts affecting thousands of employees worldwide.
