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Garelick Farms To Close Factory In Lynn, Lay Off Hundreds

Hundreds of employees will lose their jobs when Garelick Farms, a well-known Massachusetts dairy company, shuts the doors to its Lynn factory.

Garelick is the city's seventh-largest employer. The announcement took many by surprise, including Lynn's city government.

Mayor Thomas McGee said his office had no warning from Garelick Farms that it was closing the facility, and his office hasn’t been able to reach the company. He said he first learned about the closing through the plant's employees.

The "lack of communication and commitment to the city is indicative of what's going on in today's corporate culture," he said Wednesday, "decisions made focused on the bottom line, without regard to the community, without any outreach to the community they're impacting in a big way."

The company has not replied to WBUR's request for comment.

Around 300 employees are expected to be laid off this fall.

McGee said the closing will have a significant economic impact in Lynn. His office has begun reaching out to state agencies to find help for the displaced workers.

Garelick Farms was founded over 80 years ago by brothers Israel and Max Garelick in Franklin, Massachusetts. The company is now owned by Dean Foods, which is based in Dallas, Texas.

With reporting by WBUR's Yasmin Amer and The Associated Press

This article was originally published on May 23, 2018.

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