Fort Worth-based Bell Textron Inc. announced the layoff of hundreds of employees \u2014 about 3% of the company\u2019s workforce \u2014 at three of its facilities in Texas and Kansas.<\/p>\n
The defense contractor \u2014 which is ramping up production<\/a> of the U.S. Army\u2019s MV-75 Cheyenne II aircraft \u2014 said a total of 285 employees are impacted by the reduction in force at Bell facilities in Fort Worth, Amarillo and Wichita, Kansas.<\/p>\n In Fort Worth, employees laid off included those in nonunion roles. About 30 employees were given notice at the Amarillo facility, KAMR reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition, Bell announced a three-week furlough for certain employees beginning June 15.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cStaffing decisions like this are difficult, but they are also necessary to align the company to market realities and position it for the long term,\u201d company officials said in a statement.<\/p>\n The layoffs come weeks after the company celebrated the grand opening of its Wichita assembly center for the Cheyenne\u2019s fuselage in April.\u00a0<\/p>\n That facility is part of an accelerated initiative directed by Army leaders for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, a next-generation aircraft with vertical-lift capabilities. The site, which opened with a crew of about 80, may increase to 300 as production increases, Bell officials previously said.<\/p>\n Parts made at the Wichita plant will be sent to Bell\u2019s Texas facilities.<\/p>\n Darrell Willis, president of United Auto Workers Local 218 union in Hurst, declined to immediately speak about the layoffs.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not ready to talk about it,\u201d he told the Fort Worth Report.<\/p>\n The union continues to promote applications for jobs at Bell\u2019s nearby advanced manufacturing center in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is predicted that the (manufacturing center) will provide approximately 400 good paying jobs over the next 40 years, and its focus will be on building blades and gear boxes,\u201d union officials said in a May 17 post<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bell is investing $632 million<\/a> into a north Fort Worth factory for the MV-75 Cheyenne aircraft. A 450,000-square-foot building at 15100 N. Beach St. is being remodeled and expanded.\u00a0<\/p>\n The project is expected to be completed in early 2027, according to a filing<\/a> with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n