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Fruit of the Loom To Shutter Jamestown Plant; 600 Layoffs Expected

Fruit of the Loom announced Thursday it will close the company's Jamestown, Ky. plant, laying off hundreds of workers. 

The clothing manufacturer says 600 employees will lose their jobs.  The layoffs will begin in phases starting in June and the plant will be closed by the end of the year.  Production at the Jamestown plant will transition to facilities in Honduras, according to a press release.

The company says global competition and cheaper production overseas forced the plant to close.  State Representative Jeff Hoover of Jamestown posted on Twitter that he is "devastated" by the news. 

Fruit of the Loom is the largest employer in Russell County. The company is headquartered in Bowling Green.

The award-winning news team at WKU Public Radio consists of Dan Modlin, Kevin Willis, Lisa Autry, and Joe Corcoran.