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Economy
Swisher to lay off 250 in Jacksonville
2013-09-23
[JACKSONVILLE] Swisher International will lay off 250 employees in Jacksonville as it moves some of its cigar-making production from the city to the Dominican Republic. The company, the world's largest cigar maker, notified the employees on Friday that the layoffs will take place over the next 12 months.

The action follows 150 layoffs last year.

Joe Augustus, senior vice for global affairs, said several factors caused the decision.

"We have established competitors bringing in cigars from offshore at a very low price," he said. "And we've got government regulation and taxation that increases the cost."

When excise taxes were increased on all tobacco products in 2009, Augustus said Swisher had to raise its prices 35 percent to cover the hike.

He said there will be discussions between management and unions over severance packages.

News of the layoffs spread quickly among Swisher employees, even if they weren't at work yet.
Posted by:Fred

#11  Shipman - I had a Grandpa that actually liked Roytans and sometimes a Swisher. I tried gifting him with some of the nice Brazilians, non-Cuban Havanas and other finer tobaccos ... no luck. Poor Grandma had to smell that junk for life.

Just like once there were fine cigs like:

Nat Shermans:

and such
Posted by: 3dc   2013-09-23 20:19  

#10  LOL beedi's there's a flashback for 'ye.
Posted by: Shipman   2013-09-23 18:26  

#9  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lkHcVDBlyY
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-09-23 12:29  

#8  See. There's a use for almost everything...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-09-23 12:24  

#7  De Nobilis:
















Helped keep the mosquitos at bay, while my father, brother and I were fishing on Poland Lake in Maine
Posted by: Au Auric   2013-09-23 12:19  

#6  beedi's are just plain nasty

Then there's DeNobilis, or "dog turds" as the old Italian mens' wives call em..."
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-09-23 10:05  

#5  Jeeze. I thought this was the "You piss on our good name every day." Swisher. I like a good smoke too, and don't appreciate the backsplatter...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2013-09-23 10:04  

#4  Beedi smoker:



Don't bogart that joint Beedi, my friend Pass it over to me.

Beedi:

Posted by: Au Auric   2013-09-23 08:14  

#3  It was flip a coin and tip it to an Indian Beedi as slightly better.

Come on! A beedi, really? Swisher products certainly aren't high quality, but beedi's are just plain nasty.
Posted by: Secret Asian Man   2013-09-23 07:07  

#2  Many decades ago I enjoyed good smokes. I am sorry to say this but Swisher was never a quality smoke.
It was flip a coin and tip it to an Indian Beedi as slightly better.
Posted by: 3dc   2013-09-23 02:04  

#1  Whew! For a minute there, I thought you were talking about Nick Swisher...
Posted by: Raj   2013-09-23 00:44  

00:00