Mike Boyer reports:
Defense supplier L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. has notified employees of its Nova Engineering unit in Deerfield Township that the facility will close later this year, eliminating 96 jobs.
The move is the latest ripple from the U.S. government’s defense spending cuts, the company said.
“We expect these actions will allow L-3 to manage costs and remain competitive in this declining defense spending environment,” the company said in a statement.
L-3 relocated Nova, which makes sophisticated wireless data communications systems, from West Chester to a more than 150,000-square-foot plant at 4393 Digital Way about a year ago. At that time, the operation, which received a $200,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development for new equipment, employed about 140. It projected adding up to 60 new jobs at the new, larger plant.
A spokeswoman said the plant shutdown should take six to eight months. She said the company would offer employees help in finding new jobs.
Formerly an employee-owned business, Nova was acquired by L-3 in 2006 for about $55 million.
New York-based L-3, one of the nation’s largest defense suppliers, also operates L-3 Fuzing and Ordnance in Union Township and Cincinnati Electronics in Mason.
