In June 2020, Berg Pipe in Panama City had to let go of nearly 150 of its 400 employees due to the pandemic. With the cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline Project by President Joe Biden this week, Berg Pipe is letting go of more employees.
“This is the first time we have had layoffs here in Panama City from full-time employees,” said Andrew Hicks, vice president of operations for Berg Pipe.
Eighty-one employees will be furloughed or have reduced hours by mid-April. Twenty-five employees are being laid off.
Normally Berg Pipe can lean on smaller pipeline projects to get them through when business is slower.
“It helps us through these rough times but this time around it is across the board a downturn in the market,” Hicks said.
Moving forward, those at Berg Pipe are trying to stay positive through these tough times,
“We have done everything to position ourselves to weather this storm and be ready to go when business improves, but we will never know what the future holds,” Hicks said.
Those at Berg Pipe believe the pipe market will improve later in the year. If it does, Berg Pipe officials say they will call back those employees who were furloughed or laid off.
