Sikorsky to shutter Horseheads plant

HORSEHEADS — Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. will close its plant at 1250 Schweizer Road, leaving 570 employees without a job by year’s end.

“Due to declining defense budgets and the continuing economic weakness in many markets, Sikorsky yesterday informed employees of its intent to close the Sikorsky Military Completions Center in Horseheads as of Dec. 31, 2012 and transition the work to our West Palm Beach, Fla., facility,” Paul Jackson, Sikorsky’s director of communications, said in an email. “Faced with these difficult economic conditions, we must eliminate excess production capacity and increase operational efficiencies to remain competitive.”

Jackson said the company will work with the 570 affected employees to provide as much “transition support” as it can.

“The governor has asked the Department of Labor to dispatch its rapid response reemployment team to reach out to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to assist the workers faced with layoff,” State Labor Commissioner Peter Rivera said in a statement. “The governor’s focus is to provide reemployment services and help these workers find work.”

Headquartered in Stratford, Conn., Sikorsky (www.sikorsky.com) produces helicopters for military and commercial use. Along with the Horseheads location, Sikorsky operates facilities in Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and in Poland. The company, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), employs approximately 17,000 people worldwide.

United Technologies is also the parent company of Carrier.

Contact DeLore at tdelore@tgbbj.com