SPS Technologies Laying Off 250 Employees Following Fire

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —One month after a devastating fire, SPS Technologies of Jenkintown has laid off 250 of its 500 employees, Montgomery County officials announced.

Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija posted on Facebook Friday that the company —which saw its 660,000-square-foot Highland Avenue operations damaged in a massive fire in mid-February—is eliminating half of its entire workforce.

"I am here today because, unfortunately, SPS has sent letters to approximately 250 employees, one-half of the workers, letting them know that they will be laid off," Makhija said. "It’s devastating for people who have worked here, in many cases, for decades. This company has been here for 120 years in the community."

The company that owns SPS Technologies, Precision Castparts Corp., also issued a statement about the layoffs.

“After intense analysis of what areas of the location were severely impacted, SPS Technologies has a clearer picture of our personnel needs," the company said. "Regretfully, we will have to make employment adjustments to align with those product lines and volumes the Company can still support.”

The employees were notified about layoffs Friday morning. Employees will be paid until May 18 and receive benefits until the end of the month.

The average SPS Technologies employee has worked at the company for 25 years and were offered four weeks of compensation, Makhija said.

The county will host a job fair for those impacted in April, and SPS Technologies will have a career fair for employees next week.

"The residents of Jenkintown, Abington, and Cheltenham care deeply about seeing these jobs remain in the community and that their families have the chance to remain and be provided for," Makhija said. "An unplanned event where you are immediately out of work, it’s much harder to pivot, especially after working here for a decade."

The cause of the fire —which was battled by nearly 70 area fore companies over several days —is still under investigation.