Columbus is losing a key rail-yard player. Parsec LLC will shut down its Columbus intermodal terminal and lay off 115 employees, according to a federal notice that pegs May 1, 2026, as the final day of operations. The closure affects mechanics, loader operators and multiple management roles at the facility on the 3300 block of Thoroughbred Drive. Local workforce officials are already gearing up a rapid-response effort to help workers navigate benefits and job training.
In a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Parsec listed 115 positions and confirmed the May 1 closure date. The notice breaks out roughly a dozen managers, about 12 mechanics and nearly 80 loader operators. The WARN filing landed 67 days before the shutdown, which clears the federal 60-day notice requirement, according to Cleveland.com.
"The loss of the contract left no viable path to continue operations at the Columbus site," Parsec wrote in the WARN notice, as reported by Cleveland.com. The company said affected employees are not being offered severance or bumping rights but will receive information on how to apply for Ohio unemployment insurance and reemployment services. The filing also notes that Columbus workers are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 413.
Company Footprint And Related Cuts
Parsec operates at more than 20 rail yards across the U.S. and Canada and, after its 2024 acquisition by Universal Logistics Holdings, was described in the buyer's SEC filing as having a workforce of nearly 2,100 employees. The Columbus shutdown comes as Parsec is also winding down a northside Jacksonville terminal this spring, a cut local reporting says will cost about 150 jobs. The Universal Logistics acquisition is detailed in the company's Form 8‑K and the Jacksonville report was summarized in a story on a northside rail shakeup, which cited the Jacksonville Business Journal.
What Workers Can Expect
Because Parsec filed a WARN notice, state and local workforce teams are expected to mobilize to support affected employees. Rapid Response and OhioMeansJobs centers typically step in with no-cost services such as help navigating unemployment benefits, on-site job search assistance and access to WIOA-funded retraining programs. The U.S. Department of Labor's guidance on plant closings and layoffs, along with local OhioMeansJobs Columbus‑Franklin County Rapid Response information, explains how these services usually come together after a mass layoff.
Legal Note: WARN Act Basics
The federal WARN Act generally requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide at least 60 calendar days of advance written notice before a qualifying plant closing or mass layoff. The law has narrow exceptions, including certain unforeseeable business circumstances. Employers that fall short of the notice requirement can face liability for back pay and benefits covering the period of missed notice. The Department of Labor outlines how WARN notices work and how state rapid-response units are alerted in its WARN guidance.
Local workforce officials and the union say they will monitor the wind-down in Columbus and work to schedule Rapid Response sessions for affected employees. This story will be updated as Parsec, the Teamsters or state agencies release more details on meetings or reemployment events.
