The transition of the company’s domestic cutting and sewing operations to Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, in the State of Coahuila, will take place over a period of 18 to 24 months.

La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB) will abandon all domestic cut and sew operations, sending the production to Mexico. The company said today it will close its 675,000 square foot Tremonton, Utah plant.

The transition of the company’s domestic cutting and sewing operations to Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, in the State of Coahuila, will take place over a period of 18 to 24 months. La-Z-Boy expects to begin production at its Mexican facility in early calendar 2009.

The company’s Utah facility employs 630 people, accounts for 13% of the La-Z-Boy branded business total upholstery manufacturing capacity and produces recliners, motion furniture and stationary upholstery.

Kurt L. Darrow, La-Z-Boy’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “With its proximity to the U.S. and the lower cost structure inherent in a Mexican-based operation, we made the decision to transition our domestic cutting and sewing operations while streamlining the assembly aspect of production in the United States. Our new Mexican facility will be able to rapidly supply our domestic plants with cut-and-sewn fabrics and leather for custom orders and will complement the existing cut-and­sew program from China, which supplies our U.S. manufacturing operations with kits for our high-volume SKUs.”

Darrow continued, “We regret the impact these moves will have on the families and lives of those employees affected and greatly appreciate the contribution of each employee and thank them for their years of dedicated service.”