Southern Maine manufacturing facility laying off 48 workers

A division of the global industrial engineering firm Parker Hannifin will close a manufacturing facility in Kittery, likely putting 48 people out of work, the company said on Friday.

The Kittery facility, a part of the company’s pneumatic division which makes equipment for industrial and automotive manufacturing, will close down in stages over the coming months until all its product lines are fully transferred to other Parker locations across North America.

The process is expected to be completed by the end of November.

“Its closure in no way reflects the performance of our dedicated team members at the facility,” said Aidan Gormley, the company’s director for global communications and branding. “This was not an easy decision but is necessary to maintain our competitiveness in a challenging market environment.”

Gormley said he was unsure how many of the Kittery facility’s workers live in Maine.

The Kittery facility makes hydraulic filters and regulators, also known as FRLs, used in industrial and automotive manufacturing. Parker Hannifin is a behemoth, multinational industrial manufacturing firm involved in everything from aerospace and semiconductors to chemical processing and power generation.

Parker will provide severance pay, benefits continuation and outplacement support to affected workers, according to Gormley.

“We will try to place team members in other Parker locations where we can,” he said. “We have also reached out locally to let other employers know about our plans and the availability of skilled workers.”

Parker also operates retail stores in South Portland , Bangor and Lewiston that offer hydraulic hoses and fitting.