Stanley Black & Decker is closing a factory in Connecticut and cutting 300 jobs. The tool manufacturer has been restructuring for several years, consolidating production to fewer, more automated facilities.
Manufacturing layoffs in 2026 have been overshadowed by tech sector headlines, but companies like Stanley Black & Decker, Whirlpool, and Algoma Steel collectively represent thousands of blue-collar jobs lost to automation and offshoring. These cuts tend to have larger community impacts because manufacturing facilities are often the economic anchor of smaller cities and towns.