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Montgomery County to host job fair, support workers after SPS Technologies fire; county assesses site rebuilding timeline
Summary
After a major fire at SPS Technologies in Abington forced notices for roughly 250 layoffs, Montgomery County officials said they will convene employers at an April 3 job fair, work with company leadership to explore site rebuilding and offer workforce services to affected employees.
Montgomery County officials on Thursday announced immediate steps to help dozens of workers displaced by a large fire at SPS Technologies in Abington, including a county-hosted job fair and ongoing coordination with the company’s leadership.
County commissioners said that about 250 workers received layoff notices after the plant was forced to cease operations following the blaze. County staff are working with SPS’s CEO and with local employers to find immediate placements for affected employees; a county-organized job fair is scheduled for April 3.
County leaders described SPS as a longtime regional employer whose products are important to the aerospace supply chain. “They invented the hex wrench,” one commissioner said during the meeting, adding that SPS “make[s] the fasteners, nuts and bolts for airplanes” and produces about 700 parts the county described as critical to the industry.
The county said it expects it will take roughly six months to determine whether SPS can rebuild at its current site. In the meantime the commerce department, led in the discussion by Director Steve Forrester, is convening manufacturers and other employers, recruiting openings and coordinating supports for displaced workers. County officials said some employers who contacted the county already had dozens of vacancies — one employer reported roughly 80 openings.
Commissioners emphasized the goal of keeping workers in Montgomery County so families need not relocate to find employment. County staff will also continue communications with the company’s CEO to track progress on restoration or relocation. No rebuilding timetable or financing plan was announced; officials said such details will depend on the company’s insurance, engineering assessments and permitting.
The county also flagged workforce training as part of the response: commerce staff are connecting affected employees to training pathways and potential openings at other local manufacturers.
County staff encouraged any displaced SPS workers or employers with openings to contact the Montgomery County commerce department. Officials said they will share further details about the job fair and follow-up services as they become available.
For now, the county’s role is coordination and convening; no county capital commitment for SPS’s site rebuild was announced during the meeting.
