Prepac closed its Whitsett plant; 200 jobs gone

Prepac Manufacturing filed a WARN notice March 3 to close its ready-to-assemble furniture plant at 3031 Hendren Road in Whitsett and lay off its 200 workers, effective May 2, WFMY and Business North Carolina reported. The company cited domestic production costs and low-cost Chinese imports.

Business North Carolina reported the state Economic Investment Committee paid Prepac $98,393 in February as part of a grant worth up to $2.1 million over 12 years. WFMY asked state and county leaders whether any incentive money would be recovered; the company told WFMY it is current on its obligations to government.