Philips has announced it will be closing its location in Wallingford by 2020.
In a statement to NBC Connecticut, company officials said production will be transitioned to a third-party manufacturer and another Philips facility, and a few legacy product lines are being discontinued. The Hospital Respiratory Care (HRC) business R&D and marketing teams will be moved to an HRC facility in Carlsbad, California.
The facility makes critical breathing equipment for hospitals.
Philips said the HRC positions in Wallingford will be transitioned out over the next two years. The company did not specify how many jobs would be affected, but said it would work with those employees.
“Philips will continue to work closely with affected employees, to carefully manage the transition and ensure appropriate assistance and resources are available at this time. Philips is committed to handling all employee related matters at the Wallingford site in a respectful and professional manner,” the statement read.
The company believes this is a strategic step to not only streamline operations but to better respond to customer demand.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D) released a statement in response to the news, calling it “shocking.”
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“My office will be fully engaged with any constituents who are impacted by Philips’s decision. Families in Wallingford and across Connecticut deserve better than losing their jobs in a global race to the bottom. We cannot let them become just another statistic,” the statement read in part.
