VIDALIA — Nearly 150 employee positions at Fruit of the Loom’s Vidalia Apparel plant will be terminated starting March 10, the company announced Tuesday.

Martin Mills Inc., a subsidiary of Union Underwear Company Inc., announced Tuesday it will permanently reduce the workforce at its Vidalia distribution center, according to a release by the company.

The nearly 150 of the plant’s 260 employees were given notice Tuesday of the downsizing.

“This decision is in no way a reflection on the efforts of our employees,” Senior Vice President of Distribution Bill Tucker stated in the release. “We thank all our dedicated employees for their service and encourage other area employers to give these excellent workers every consideration for employment opportunities.”

Vidalia Apparel, which opened in 1995, is housed in a one-million square foot building in the Vidalia Industrial Park and distributes Fruit of the Loom’s casual wear and intimate apparel product lines.