PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It got a reprieve once before, with Lockheed Martin’s CEO bowing to pressure from President Donald Trump in 2019. But now, Sikorsky’s parent company says the time has run out, and it will close its Coatesville helicopter plant in March.
Lockheed Martin said there’s just not enough commercial helicopter business to sustain the Chester County facility.
Also apparently not enough: the $542 million Defense Department contract to build the next-generation Marine One. More than a third of that work was happening in Coatesville. Now, it will go to other Lockheed locations — as will some employees, but 240 will lose their jobs.
U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said she condemns the impending shutdown in her district, adding she’s “frustrated and disappointed” that this is the result of two years of work with two presidential administrations and protections she wrote into legislation.
Sikorsky workers survived a closure threat in 2019, thanks to intervention by Trump and work across the aisle by Houlahan. She, along with Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey, noted then the reprieve was a short-term solution and tried to bring in new work.
Lockheed Martin said the decision to close the plant is “final.”
In a statement, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson added, “Despite close collaboration with our commercial customers, federal, state and local officials, we were unable to secure enough additional work to sustain operations. Lockheed Martin continues to have a strong presence and commitment to our workforce, suppliers, and customers across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the greater Delaware Valley. We have been in contact with the Governor, the White House, Secretary Raimondo, and other officials. We thank them for their support for our Coatesville workforce and look forward to working together to ensure training and reemployment opportunities for all existing employees and a positive future for the community.”
Houlahan — who is an Air Force veteran — said her “priority over the next seven months is helping these highly-skilled workers find new jobs in our community and finding a productive use for the facility.” She’s hosting a job fair at West Chester University on Oct. 12 with a focus on the company’s displaced workers.