The planned closure of a tape measure manufacturing plant operated by Stanley Black & Decker in New Britain is expected to eliminate hundreds of jobs and intensify debate over the state’s economic competitiveness.
“Our immediate reaction is obviously one of disappointment,” said Chris Davis of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. “Stanley Black and Decker has been a heart of manufacturing here in Central Connecticut, in the New Britain area, for a very long time.”
Policy climate under scrutiny
Davis said manufacturers across Connecticut are weighing whether they can continue producing goods in the state amid shifting market demands and operating costs.
“These tough decisions that manufacturers are making about, you know, ‘is their product viable in the marketplace still?’ ‘Is it something that they can continue to manufacture here in Connecticut?’ are questions that not just Stanley Black and Decker is asking, but also other manufacturers across the state,” he said.
He pointed to regulatory policy, business costs and workforce development as key areas for potential reform.
“We really need to be doing more,” Davis said, adding that policy changes could help retain existing employers while attracting new investment.
Technology seen as opportunity, not threat
As evidenced by recent Stanley plant closures in other states, there could be larger forces affecting the company besides Connecticut's business climate. In their statement explaining their decision to close their final manufacturing plant in New Britain, Stanley Black and Decker acknowledged the tape measures being assembled there are increasingly becoming obsolete.
As automation and artificial intelligence reshape production, Davis said manufacturers are focused less on job losses and more on improving productivity amid persistent workforce shortages.
“When we’re in a state like Connecticut, where you have between 68 and 74,000 job openings, thousands of which are in the manufacturing sector right now, it’s not a matter of cutting jobs with this new technology,” he said.
Instead, he described a measured outlook on technological change.
“I wouldn’t categorize it as a fear,” Davis said. “I would say it’s more of cautious optimism of what AI can do for these manufacturers.”
Small businesses central to growth
While major employers often dominate headlines, Davis said small businesses form the backbone of the state’s workforce and play a critical role in manufacturing supply chains.
“Small businesses make up about 50% of the workforce here in the state,” he said. “There’s hundreds of thousands of them across the state.”
He said expansion by large manufacturers such as Electric Boat, Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney could create new demand for smaller suppliers across Connecticut.
“That is actually a very positive thing for our small manufacturers, because that means they’ll be looking for more products from our supply chain across the state,” he said.
Workforce pipeline a priority
Davis said strengthening career and technical education programs remains essential to sustaining manufacturing growth and filling thousands of open positions.
“We need policies and why we’re advocating for them here at CBIA that really, really help that workforce development target career and technical education,” he said.
He said expanding access to training for both students and adult learners could help employers meet immediate labor needs while positioning the state for long-term growth.
