Pratt & Whitney to Shut Longtime Nahariya Plant, Laying Off 600 Workers

Pratt & Whitney announced Monday that it will close the Blade Technology plant in Nahariya within weeks, ending more than 50 years of activity at the factory founded by Stef Wertheimer after the Six-Day War. The first layoff notices were handed to some of the 600 workers still employed there, after a four-year struggle that already saw hundreds dismissed along the way.

The American company decided in December 2022 to shut the facility, saying it was losing money and would phase out all employees by 2025. It later became clear that Pratt & Whitney planned to move the aircraft blade production line to the United States. Even when other companies expressed interest in buying the plant and keeping the workforce, the decision stood, and efforts by the Knesset Finance Committee and the Economy Ministry did not change it.

Workers said they were devastated by the end of the site, which will be replaced by residential and commercial towers. One longtime employee said, "I was not surprised this would happen, but when they hand you the letter, you get a blow to the stomach that cannot be explained." She said the company helped with training, courses and meetings with northern employers, but added that she was disappointed no industry remained in her city.

Employees said even enhanced severance pay and company support do not solve the uncertainty, especially for older workers. One woman whose husband has worked there for 30 years said, "What will happen? Where will we go?" and asked who would hire someone age 60. She said the plant had given them security until "the bomb" fell in December 2022 and that the state could have done more, possibly by creating a blue and white production site or a munitions plant. Union chairman Roken Said said a job fair will be held, the company has provided tax advice at its own expense, and workers will receive increased compensation under an August 2023 agreement. Activity at the Tefen site will not be affected for now.