Metro Vancouver company's move to U.S. will result in over 170 job cuts, says union
A Metro Vancouver company’s relocation to the U.S. will result in significant job losses, according to the union representing its workers.
According to a March 11 release from Unifor, a local furniture manufacturer, Delta-based Prepac will terminate over 170 jobs as it plans to shift operations to its facility in North Carolina.
Unifor said the manufacturing process at the Delta plant will cease on March 14.
“The company expects all workers to be severed in May 2025,” stated the union.
Unifor’s national president, Lana Payne, claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada played a part in Prepac’s departure.
“In this case, Prepac and its equity owners are using the tariffs as an excuse to redirect all their production to the U.S. It’s pure greed,” stated Payne.
Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle said the cuts and relocation to the U.S. are a “slap in the face to Canadian workers and Canadian consumers who have made this company a success since 1979.”
“We will be calling for a boycott of Prepac products nationwide,” he added.
In a statement to Daily Hive, Prepac CEO Nick Bozikis said the move to “centralize production into the North Carolina facility was the product of many months of consideration and analysis, and began long before any tariff risks to Prepac’s business arose.”
“The last several years have been challenging for North American furniture manufacturers, and the closure of our Delta, B.C. facility is a necessary step that reflects the realities of Prepac today, and the prospects for the company going forward. We are proud of our heritage in Delta, however, our North Carolina facility is located much closer to our largest customer base,” he added, noting that the majority of customer demand came from the eastern U.S. putting the company in a “better position to service demand with production from that factory.”
“We are committed to supporting a smooth transition for all impacted employees. This decision was in no way a reflection on the quality of our B.C. team,” stated Bozikis.
Prepac was founded in Vancouver over four decades ago and remained locally owned until it was sold to a private equity firm in 2019.
In 2020, the company acquired a fourth building in Delta, and the facility in North Carolina opened in 2021.