Tool giant closes historic factory and lays off about 300 workers after a drop in tape measure sales

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 22/05/2026 at 20:12

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Closure of the factory in New Britain affects about 300 workers in the United States and reflects a drop in demand for traditional tape measures, advancement of double-sided products, and a global cost reduction plan

About 300 workers from Stanley Black & Decker will be laid off by the end of this month with the closure of a factory in New Britain, United States. The decision affects a production unit related to tape measures and occurs amid a drop in demand for traditional models, in addition to a global cost reduction plan.

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Factory in New Britain ends production and cuts jobs

Stanley Black & Decker confirmed the closure of a factory in New Britain, a city in the state of Connecticut where the company has maintained a presence for over 180 years. The layoffs had been announced months earlier and are now taking effect.

The layoffs began with hourly employees, according to sources heard by the international press. Despite the closure of the production unit, another 300 workers remain employed, as the decision does not represent the company’s complete exit from the city.

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Drop in traditional tape measure sales weighed on the decision

The company attributes the closure mainly to the drop in sales of traditional single-sided tape measure models. This type of product has lost ground with the advancement of double-sided tape measures, manufactured mainly by Asian countries.

With this change in the market, demand for the item produced at the unit fell. At the same time, demand for products considered more technological grew, which altered the factory’s weight within Stanley Black & Decker’s industrial strategy.

The decision shows how a specific change in tool consumption can affect a historic production unit, even within a company with global reach.

Cost plan has already reduced 7,000 jobs since 2023

The factory closure is also part of a cost reduction plan by Stanley Black & Decker. Since the end of 2023, the company’s global workforce has shrunk by about 7,000 people, with estimated savings of 2 billion dollars.

On the company’s website, Stanley Black & Decker presents itself as a global leader in the tool industry, with revenue of 15.8 billion dollars. The company claims to have more than 50,000 employees and over 100 manufacturing facilities, 50 of which are in the United States.

In Brazil, the multinational also has operations, with its administrative headquarters in the city of São Paulo.

Connecticut government promises support to those affected

The governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont, stated that the impact on workers and their families is significant. He said that the government is providing support to help those affected find new jobs.

Lamont also expressed hope that skilled workers will be relocated with the help of Stanley Black & Decker. According to him, local and state authorities are working to support the dismissed employees and rethink the use of the factory site in New Britain.

This article was prepared based on information from Stanley Black & Decker and the international press, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.

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Tool giant closes historic factory and lays off about 300 workers after a drop in tape measure sales

Closure of the factory in New Britain affects about 300 workers in the United States and reflects a drop in demand for traditional tape measures, advancement of double-sided products, and a global cost reduction plan

Factory in New Britain ends production and cuts jobs

Drop in traditional tape measure sales weighed on the decision

Cost plan has already reduced 7,000 jobs since 2023

Connecticut government promises support to those affected

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Tool giant closes historic factory and lays off about 300 workers after a drop in tape measure sales

Closure of the factory in New Britain affects about 300 workers in the United States and reflects a drop in demand for traditional tape measures, advancement of double-sided products, and a global cost reduction plan

Factory in New Britain ends production and cuts jobs

Drop in traditional tape measure sales weighed on the decision

Cost plan has already reduced 7,000 jobs since 2023

Connecticut government promises support to those affected

Engineers want to carve through Africa with a giant canal to bring water from the world’s second-largest river to a dying lake on the edge of the Sahara Desert that has already lost 90% of its water.

Brazil filled the Northeast with wind turbines but now faces the side effect of 705 giant blades reaching the end of their lifespan by 2032 just in Rio Grande do Norte, while the world projects 43 million tons of waste by 2050.

India approved the country’s first submerged road-rail tunnel, 15.8 kilometers dug under the bed of the Brahmaputra River.

Instead of burning or burying old tires, an American city is transforming about 2,000 of them into the street itself, paving its first sections with a quieter and more durable rubber asphalt.

In just one cast, fishermen are surprised to capture 14,096 mullets in Bombinhas and close a historic season with 58,000 fish; scene recorded in the Santa Catarina paradise marks the last day of the 2026 season.

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