Hershey to lay off 148 in Draft, according to state Web site

The Hershey Company’s Stuarts Draft plant will temporarily lay off 148 production workers starting next week and lasting until mid-March, according to a state government Web site.

According to the state’s WARN Notice Log, Hershey’s notified employees Jan. 23 of temporary layoffs that would take effect by Feb. 16. Employees are expected to return to work by March 16, according to the notice.

Hershey Corporate Spokesman Kirk Saville would only say that the company routinely adjusts employment levels according to demand and inventory levels.

The announcement of the temporary layoff comes on the heels of Hershey holding a job fair at Waynesboro’s Best Western last week to hire 120 entry-level production workers for the Stuarts Draft candy manufacturing plant. The job fair drew thousands of applicants over a three-day period.

Saville said the company plans to continue recruiting and will bring on additional staff later this year according to demand.

The layoff also comes after the company disclosed a 51.4 percent jump in fourth-quarter earnings helped by lower restructuring costs, rising prices and advertising spending on the core Hershey’s and Reese’s brands.

Hershey Chief Executive David West said the increased advertising spending fueled sales increases in the fourth quarter.

In 2007, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced the company’s $25 million plan to expand manufacturing capacity in Stuarts Draft, creating 150 jobs at the time. The company employs more than 750 people.