Thermo Fisher to phase out Asheville site, 421 jobs affected

Thermo Fisher Scientific notified the N.C. Department of Commerce on Jan. 16 that it will phase out operations at its Asheville facility at 274 Aiken Road, a move that could affect 421 positions at the site. The company’s WARN notice says the first employee separations could begin Dec. 31, 2026, with reductions continuing through Dec. 31, 2027.

The affected roles listed in the notice include production and assembly positions such as Assembler II, Operator II and Lead Assembler. Thermo Fisher framed the action as an operational realignment and said impacted colleagues will receive job-transition support, adding that this step does not represent a strategic retreat from U.S. manufacturing or from investments in North Carolina.

This is a significant development for Buncombe County. While the WARN filing identifies 421 potentially affected positions rather than a firm layoff count, the timeline and job mix suggest meaningful local impact. The phased separations spanning a year mean workers and their families face prolonged uncertainty, and nearby vendors and service providers tied to the plant’s operations could see reduced demand over 2027.

From an economic perspective, a manufacturing site shutter or scale-down of this size can produce both direct and indirect effects. Direct employment losses reduce household income in the short run; indirect impacts may ripple through local supply chains, contracting services, and consumer spending. The extended timeline offers time for workforce planning, but it also stretches the period during which incomes, schedules and career plans remain in flux.

State and local workforce agencies will be central to the response. WARN notices trigger notification channels that allow workforce development offices and the N.C. Department of Commerce to prepare outreach, retraining and placement assistance. Thermo Fisher’s commitment to job-transition support could include connections to those services, though specifics were not detailed in the notice.

For Buncombe County residents, the immediate priorities will be employer outreach, enrollment in dislocation services, and monitoring for announcements about on-site meetings, job fairs and support programs. Local economic development officials and county workforce partners are likely to coordinate service delivery to affected employees and suppliers.

What comes next is practical: expect outreach from Thermo Fisher and state workforce offices in the coming months, and community leaders will be watching whether the phased timeline leads to facility sale, repurposing or a full closure. For workers, planning now for training options and keeping in contact with workforce partners will be the most direct way to manage the months ahead.