Defense contractor lays off 19 due to sequester
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania scientific research and development company that does most of its work on defense contracts has laid off 19 workers at its hub facility.
Concurrent Technologies Corp. spokeswoman Mary Bevan says federal budget cuts known as the sequester are to blame.
The facility in Richland Township near Johnstown, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, still has about 700 workers. Those laid off were mostly support and office workers. Bevan says the company doesn’t expect more layoffs anytime soon.
Concurrent was one of three Johnstown-area companies awarded $72 million in defense contracts in December.
The company is also working with the Mint in Philadelphia to study alternative materials that could be used to make pennies, which currently cost more than 2 cents each to make.