Freedom Designs to ‘restructure,’ lay off 70 at California location

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Freedom Designs will close its facility in Simi Valley, Calif., and lay off 70 employees by June 1, 2026, according to a filing with the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification. 

In a statement to HME News, a spokesperson said the company will be moving manufacturing to another state. 

“Freedom Designs is an integral part of the Invacare family,” the spokesperson said. “To upgrade our product offerings in this category, we decided to move our manufacturing to a state-of-the-art facility out of state. 

“The sales and customer service teams will remain in the Simi Valley area,” the spokesperson continued. “We are looking for a suitable space that will house these operations. These changes will help us continue delivering the high-quality service and products our customers expect.” 

Timeline for layoffs 

According to the filing, Freedom Designs will make the first round of layoffs by Oct. 29, with the final employees being laid off by June 1, 2026, at the latest. The company added that this decision was due to “business restructuring.” 

“We deeply regret the impact this will have on our employees and are committed to providing support to employees throughout this transition,” the filing states. “We will also coordinate with the relevant authorities to facilitate the transition." 

Company background 

Freedom Designs underwent a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing as part of the financial restructuring of its parent company, Invacare Holdings Corporation, in 2023. The move was part of a larger plan by Invacare to reduce its net debt by approximately 65% and recapitalize its balance sheet. 

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