Hauppauge firm lays off 340, including 44 on LI

Premier Fixtures LLC, a Hauppauge-based manufacturer of customized merchandising displays and fixtures for national food service and hospitality brands, abruptly closed its doors last week, laying off 44 employees locally, according to state filings.

Premier Fixtures, parent company of PremierXD, according to the company’s website, filed a WARN notice with the state Labor Department on Sept. 11 saying the company would close its 400 Oser Ave. location that same day. In addition to the Long Island layoffs, the company has laid off a total of 296 employees between its Virginia and Washington state operations, according to layoff notices filed in those states.  

Officials with the company did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment.

In a memo to employees sent to Newsday by an office worker with one of Premier's other locations, the company said that it was ceasing its business and that employees were not given "greater advance notice because until on or about Sept. 10, 2019, the company had been actively seeking capital and financing through various means and sources, which, if obtained, would have enabled [Premier] to continue its business operations."

In an FAQ provided to Newsday, the company said it would not be offering any severance for impacted employees. 

The worker said that vendors to the company were not given advance notice of the closure and have been reaching out to the company seeking payment. 

The state posted Premier's notice on its website Tuesday.

WARN, the state Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, requires that companies with at least 50 full-time employees file a notice of a mass layoff or a closing 90 days in advance.

The company laid off 106 employees in Everett, Washington, and 190 employees in Henrico County, Virigina, just outside of Richmond, according to WARN notices in each state.

Premier, which designed and manufactured merchandising fixtures, counters, shelving and displays, counted Starbucks, Microsoft and Costco among its clients.