Dow begins Midland layoffs as part of global job cuts

Dow has started notifying employees in Midland, Michigan, about layoffs tied to its global restructuring plan, marking the first confirmed local execution of the company’s 4,500-job cut announcement.

The company said the reductions are part of its “Transform to Outperform” restructuring effort. Dow has said the plan will eliminate about 4,500 roles globally, but it is not giving site-specific counts and is communicating directly with affected employees.

Local reporting on Thursday said the Midland layoffs were underway. Dow did not provide a completion timeline for the workforce reductions.

January plan, June notifications

Dow announced the global job-cut plan in January as it moved to simplify operations, reset costs and improve how it serves customers. At the time, reporting tied to the announcement said the company employed about 34,600 people worldwide.

The June notifications show the plan is now reaching Dow’s hometown. Midland is especially significant because the company is headquartered there and has long been one of the city’s largest employers.

Wider impact across Dow sites

The Midland cuts come after local reporting said more than 100 employees were laid off June 11 at Dow’s Seadrift site in Texas.

Incoming CEO Karen S. Carter said on June 11 that Midland would remain Dow’s headquarters and company center.

Dow has not said how the 4,500 cuts will be split by location. That leaves open questions about how many workers in Midland and other U.S. communities will ultimately be affected.

What to watch next

More layoff notices, WARN filings or other public disclosures could clarify the geographic breakdown of the cuts and the pace of the restructuring. For now, Dow’s position is clear: the reductions are under way, but the company is not releasing site-by-site numbers.