Stanley Black & Decker is closing its Gorham facility in March and transferring the work done there to Jackson, Tennessee. Robert Lowell / American Journal
GORHAM — The Stanley Black & Decker plant in Gorham Industrial Park is slated to close in March and take 96 jobs with it.
The Gorham plant at 37 Bartlett Road manufactures tap-and-die sets under the IRWIN and Mac Tools brands. The manufacturing operation will be transferred to its facility in Jackson, Tennessee, over the next few months, said Abigail Dreher, a Stanley Black & Decker company spokesperson said.
“This decision was made as part of Stanley Black & Decker’s ongoing effort to streamline operations,” Dreher said in an interview from the company’s Connecticut headquarters.
“It’s a loss to the Gorham business community,” said Town Council Chairperson Lee Pratt, “but the real tragedy is the employees losing their jobs.”
Gorham Economic Development Director Kevin Jensen said supporting the 96 displaced workers will be a priority for his office.
“The (Gorham Industrial) Park is full of great companies, many of which are looking for talent,” Jensen said. “My office intends to do what we can to help connect these workers to those opportunities.”
In addition, Stanley Black & Decker has been working with the Manufacturers Association of Maine to help the employees find other jobs, he said.
Dreher said the employees will be offered relocation opportunities, outplacement services, onsite job fairs with local employers, severance and/or other benefits.
Many of the employees, Pratt said, have worked at the plant since it opened at the industrial park more than 20 years ago.
First known as American Tool, it officially changed to Irwin Industrial Tool Co. in 2002 and was then acquired by Stanley Black & Decker four years ago.
Stanley Black & Decker brands include DeWalt, Craftsman and Porter Cable. Besides North America, Stanley Black & Decker has manufacturing facilities in Europe and China.
“The loss of a longtime resident of the park is indeed sad news, but there remains strong demand for industrial space in the region,” Jensen said. “We expect that site to generate much interest when Stanley Black & Decker is ready to make it available.”
According to Gorham tax records, the facility at 37 Bartlett Road is owned by American Tool Company and Irwin Industrial Tool Co. in Dublin, Pennsylvania. The building was appraised at $2.1 million in 2018 and has a 8.3-acre site.
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