XanGo lays off 20% of workforce – fewer than 50 employees

Lehi-based XanGo, the mangosteen juice marketer that also produces and distributes a skin care line and vitamin supplements, laid off about a fifth of its workforce in response to underperforming investments.

The privately held multilevel marketing company, which at its peak had 400 employees worldwide, laid off "fewer than 50" employees, Dave Webb, the company’s vice president of communications, said Tuesday. He would not say how many employees the company had prior to the layoffs, which occurred Monday.

Workers who lost their jobs will be allowed to reapply for new positions as they become available, and they are eligible for severance packages, he said.

In a formal statement, XanGo characterized the layoffs as "part of a long-term strategy to ensure the company is nimble and best able to support its strategic goals and quickly seize developing opportunities with full vigor and commitment." Salt Lake Tribune

American Fork alarm company Platinum Protection lays off most of staff

A Utah-based home alarm company with customers around the country dismissed most of its employees Thursday in a restructuring with an uncertain future. Platinum Protection of American Fork, which in recent years said it had 140,000 installed customers in its first four years of business, dismissed 65 corporate employees, along with its sales and technical staff, said Mike Melzer, in-house legal counsel. He said the company would not be selling new accounts, but he did not know how many salespeople and technicians lost their jobs. Salt Lake Tribune

BYU Bookstore lays off 29 employees

Facing financial losses, the BYU Bookstore laid off 29 employees on Friday. The campus bookstore is a self-sustaining business, meaning it does not get university funds or support from student tuition. All were in non-student positions. Salt Lake Tribune

Roberts Arts and Crafts to close

Roberts Arts and Crafts will be closing its stores come January. Representatives of the craft store, which first opened in Provo in 1963, announced on Wednesday that they will be closing all the Roberts stores -- located in American Fork, Orem, Provo, South Jordan and Washington -- to focus on online sales. A company representative wouldn't comment on how many employees will lose their jobs. Daily Herald

Employees say hundreds laid off at Novell's Provo office

Novell Inc. laid off hundreds of employees Monday from its Provo office, just days after the company was sold, according to employees. The computing services firm and former software giant announced last week it was bought by the Houston-based Attachmate Group for $2.2 billion in cash, or $6.10 per share.

An employee said about 800 people lost their jobs company-wide, with most of those in Provo. He said the sales force, human resources, corporate operations and the legal department were particularly hard hit. He said the company plans to drop all but four of its product lines. Deseret News

Utah wilderness, youth therapy programs closing

A wave of closures and consolidations in wilderness therapy and youth treatment programs in Utah will take nearly 200 jobs from Wayne County alone. Three programs for troubled young people, owned by Aspen Education Group, constitute the biggest employer in the county.

CRC Health Group, Aspen’s California-based parent company, will close two programs in Utah: An equine and behavioral therapy boarding school in Wayne County, and a substance abuse treatment facility for teens in St. George. Another Wayne County drug rehab program will move to Idaho. The state’s longest-running wilderness therapy program, Aspen Achievement Academy, will move from Wayne County to Lehi and merge with another program, Outback Expeditions. A live-in treatment center for teens in Draper will merge with a similar facility in Syracuse. Salt Lake Tribune

A liquor store may be closing near you

Despite record profits, lawmakers have ordered the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to slash its budget by $2.2 million. If the governor approves the reduction, liquor-control commissioners say they would be forced to close stores and lay off workers.

At least nine state stores along the Wasatch Front and in Park City likely would be closed and more than 150 liquor store workers laid off. Hours could be drastically reduced at the remaining liquor stores, which just two years ago were open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Soon, store hours are likely to be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or noon to 8 p.m. Salt Lake Tribune

Provo Web design firm shuts down unexpectedly

Heritage Internet Technologies of Provo, lauded as one of Utah’s fastest-growing companies in recent years, shut down suddenly Tuesday, leaving employees and customers reeling.

Heritage provided website design and hosting services for small to medium-sized businesses. According to its website, it had more than 15,000 customers. Heritage officials met with employees Tuesday to inform them it was shutting down immediately. The company at one time employed more than 300 people full time and an equal number of contract employees, but its staff had dwindled to under 200 or so. Salt Lake Tribune

Anchor Blue to close 117 stores, 2 in Utah

Two Anchor Blue stores, one in Sandy and the other in Orem, will be among 117 closed nationwide by the casual-apparel retailer. On Friday, the Los Angeles Times reported that in May 2009, the chain “filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Salt Lake Tribune

Utah County using layoffs to balance $79.5 million budget

Utah County is expected to lay off seven employees and eliminate four other open positions to balance the $79.5 million budget for 2011. The layoffs will save more than $1 million and were used instead of reserve funds that were originally in budget plans. The layoffs could be coming from the county attorney's office, information technology and public works, though details are still being ironed out. Provo Daily Herald

Associated closing stores in Salt Lake, Provo

On Oct. 29, grocery wholesaler Associated Food Stores Inc. will close two Fresh Market stores in Salt Lake City and one in Provo. The stores were three of the 34 Albertsons supermarkets that Associated purchased from Supervalu last November for $167 million. About 150 employees work at all three stores, but “due to the current status of the economy, we will not be able to offer positions to all of the team members affected by the closures,” said company officials. Salt Lake Tribune

North Provo Fresh Market shutting down

The Fresh Market grocery store on University Parkway is shutting down, less than a year after Associated Food Stores purchased it and dozens of other Albertson's stores along the Wasatch Front. The company sent out a news release Wednesday evening announcing it was closing three stores; the other two were in Salt Lake City. Those three had been underperforming for several years, according to the company. The stores will close on Oct. 29. About 50 people work at the store. Not all of the affected employees will be offered positions at other Associated Food stores. Provo Daily Herald

Allen's Super Save closes Orem location

Allen's Super Save Markets has closed its Orem location after 26 years in business. The Allen's chain has locations in Provo and Springville, which will remain open. Daily Herald

Orem telephone directory company to cut 80 jobs

A Utah County firm will outsource the publishing segment of its business, costing about 80 workers their jobs. The head of Orem-based Ziplocal told the Deseret News that the company has signed an agreement to move its print publishing responsibilities to Pennsylvania. The company provides print telephone directories for businesses and communities in 300 cities across 33 states nationwide, as well as digital resources through mobile devices and the Internet. No other office will be impacted by the work force reductions. Deseret News

Utah school for disabled to lay off workers

The State Developmental Center in American Fork will lay off up to 45 workers in upcoming weeks because of a $6 million budget cut.

Superintendent Karen Clarke said the school has been discussing the impact of budget cuts with parents, staff and community.

More than 200 developmentally disabled residents who are unable to speak or care for themselves live at the school. The Deseret News