The alphabroder location at 4247 S. Minnewawa Ave. in Fresno. Google Street View photo

A distribution warehouse in Fresno will be laying off more than 100 workers with the closure of its manufacturing operation.

According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the state on Feb. 2, S&S Activewear will lay off 117 workers effective April 2 at its facility at 4247 S. Minnewawa Ave. in Fresno.

The WARN Act requires employers to provide a 60-days’ notice prior to a mass layoff, plant closure or relocation.

S&S Activewear is a tech-enabled provider of apparel and accessories. S&S acquired alphabroder, a distributor of trade, retail, apparel brands and branded products, in August 2024.

The warehouse in Fresno was under the alphabroder name.

Based in Illinois, S&S Activewear distributes several popular brands including American Apparel, Gildan, Under Armour, North End and more.

According to the company website, S&S Activewear has more than 4 million square feet of warehouse space throughout North America, with 17 distribution centers in several states.

Will Oliver, president and CEO of the Fresno Economic Development Corporation (EDC), said the acquisition of alphabroder by S&S Activewear prompted a review of their combined distribution network.

“S&S Activewear, as part of that merger and acquisition, ultimately decided to close a division of the Fresno facility, which was a manufacturing division, but there is an expectation that that space will ultimately be occupied by other components of their business,” Oliver said.

He said the manufacturing division produces apparel, goods and custom embroidery.

Marc Vitulli, S&S’s chief marketing officer, told the Fresno Bee the impacted Fresno employees work in the decoration and hard goods fulfillment team.

Oliver said it’s not uncommon after a merger or acquisition to see efforts to consolidate, streamline, or optimize companion operations.

He said it is unfortunate to see the winding down of manufacturing division of the company, but there is an expectation that the warehouse and the distribution operations are expected to continue, leveraging the remaining space for their West Coast logistics and supply chain needs.

According to alphabroder’s website, the warehouse covers 331,520 square feet.

The Fresno EDC partners with the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board (FRWDB), which provides rapid response services, especially after receiving information from a WARN notice. Their training programs aid in rapid reskilling for displaced workers, and also works with companies that have active hiring needs. 

“We are thankful that the FRWDB has those services so employees can get out ahead of it, be prepared and land on their feet during this time of uncertainty and transition,” Oliver said.

Oliver said the restructuring reflects broad trends in warehouse and distribution, which emphasizes efficiency and enhanced service delivery.

There are currently active job postings for alphabroder in Fresno on ZipRecruiter.

Oliver said that aside from the people in the manufacturing division of the company, 125 work at the Fresno distribution center.

“My hope is that they [S&S Activewear] continues to invest in Fresno and continues to hire for positions when those are available,” Oliver said.