Major MA Company to Lay Off Hundreds After Failed Amazon Deal

Massachusetts is a spectacular place to live. Residents and visitors alike enjoy vast and various landscapes from sandy Cape Cod beaches, to the iconic Boston skyline, and the hidden beauty of the Berkshire mountains. From historic landmarks, legendary sports teams, and an overall great quality of life, folks love living in the Bay State.

Massachusetts is home to an abundance of independent retailers from book stores, to sports equipment and gift shops. While small and family-owned businesses are a vital part of the state's economy, corporations have their place in Massachusetts as well.

2023 was a tough year for many folks across the nation and locally right here in Massachusetts. Consumers everywhere felt the wrath of high costs and supply shortages. Retailers and manufacturers, both corporate and locally owned, felt the crunch as well, in addition to increasing online competition. Some big names struggled to survive 2023 and many did not make it.

One major Massachusetts company is facing big changes, including lay-offs, not because of the current state of business, but because a deal with Amazon fell through.

iRobot Lays Off Over 31% of Employees After Amazon Deal Falls Through

iRobot, a Bedford, Massachusetts based company that manufactures the Roomba vacuum, just announced heavy lay-offs and the departure of their current CEO, all because a major deal with mega retailers Amazon fell apart.

According to NBC News, Amazon called off its proposed acquisition of robot vacuum maker today, as the deal faced antitrust scrutiny, with the e-commerce giant blaming “undue and disproportionate regulatory hurdles.” In 2022, Amazon agreed to acquire the company for $1.7 billion in cash, however the value of the deal fell 15% after iRobot incurred new debt.

Because of the deals implosion, 31% of the company's staff will be let go. According to Statista, the company has approximately 1,200 employees.