SACO — Thirty people will lose their jobs at the General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products facility on North Street in the coming months.

As well, the company will lay off 50 people at its Vermont facility.

The cuts are do to a reduced demand in gun programs, as well as the completion of the U.S. Army’s requirements for reactive armor for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and the upcoming completion of the Army’s requirements for reactive armor on Stryker Wheeled Combat Vehicles, said Karl Johnson, director of communications.

Johnson said the first group of employees received notice on Monday. Layoffs will begin early next month and be completed on Jan. 4, 2013, he said. Johnson said those laid off will receive severance packages, though he did not comment on the specifics.

The jobs lost include both salary and hourly positions, as well as administration, engineering, manufacturing and management positions. In addition to the cuts in Maine and Vermont, two employees are also being laid off at the company headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., according to Johnson.

The Saco facility employees 375 people, said Johnson, while General Dynamic employs 350 in Vermont, at the Williston Technology Center for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Jericho and two sites in Burlington.

The phased layoffs will be complete by Jan. 4, said Johnson. He would not say if more layoffs are expected.

According to information from the company, the Saco branch is General Dynamic’s core facility for producing single and multi-barrel aircraft and crew-served weapon systems. The Saco facility has been in operation for more than 50 years and houses more than 450,000 square feet of state-of-the art manufacturing space, according to information from the company.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story. Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.



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