A large manufacturer north of Redding will be cutting its workforce later this year.
CalPortland Cement in Mountain Gate plans to lay off 53 employees effective June 15, Tina McIntyre, the company’s vice president of public affairs, said on Monday, April 13.
The cement plant is one of two firms with locations in the North State that recently announced layoffs.
In a news release, Summerlin, Nevada–based CalPortland said the layoffs are temporary and are being driven by a decline in cement demand in Northern California. The workforce reduction also is specific to Redding as there are no other layoffs expected at its other plants.
CalPortland produces cement, ready mixed concrete, aggregates, concrete products and asphalt in the western United States and Canada.
“CalPortland will continue to monitor market conditions closely and will reassess staffing needs as demand changes. The Company remains confident in the long-term strength of its operations and its ability to respond effectively as the Northern California market recovers,” the news release said.
McIntyre also said the cost of doing business in California is a factor.
“I don’t think we are along in that area, but market conditions are just at a state where we had to reassess the long-term viability of our operations there. So as we wait for the Northern California market to recover, we will reassess,” McIntyre said.
Redding is one of 35 CalPortland Cement facilities in California, according to its website. The plant in Redding makes cement that is used by home and commercial builders.
Housing starts in Redding were up 41% in 2025 compared with a year ago, according to the city’s building department. The number of commercial building permits last year remained relatively unchanged from 2024, though the value of commercial construction jumped 30% in 2025, from $34 million in 2024 to $43.8 million.
The cement plant has a Redding address but is north of the city of Shasta Lake on Wonderland Boulevard. It was constructed in 1959 by Calaveras Cement Inc. Production started in November 1960, and a plant expansion took place in 1980.
CalPortland said affected employees will receive information regarding available support programs and state rapid response services to help them address any workforce needs that they may have in response to this workforce reduction.
“This was a difficult decision, and we recognize the impact it has on our employees and their families,” CalPortland President Bill Mullen said in a news release. “We are committed to supporting our affected employees during this period and will provide resources to assist them through the transition.”
Trucking firm’s California workforce reduction impacts Redding
Meanwhile, Sentinel Transportation, a fuel truck operator with locations across the United States, will be laying off more than 100 people in its workforce in California.
According to WARN notices that employers filed with the state the week of March 30, Sentinel will lay off 126 workers at 25 sites in California.
Affected workers include 10 in Chico, five in Redding and one in Red Bluff.
The layoffs are permanent and take effect May 31, the WARN notification states.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, or WARN, requires employers to give 60 days’ notice before a mass layoff, plant closure or relocation of the company.
The layoff notices come at a time when gasoline and diesel prices have surged since the start of the war in Iraq in February.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in California on April 13 was $5.89, according to AAA. The average price for a gallon of diesel was $7.68.
The price for unleaded is up a dollar a gallon compared to a year ago, while the price of diesel has jumped more than $2.50 a gallon from a year ago, AAA said.
Sentinel did not return a phone message left Monday at its headquarters in Deleware.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Layoffs to hit cement plant north of Redding in June
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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