MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — Lockheed Martin is preparing to close operations at its Middle River facility.
The move is expected to take around two years to complete, and will ultimately impact 465 employees.
Approximately 382 of those affected will transfer to one of the company's 32 other facilities in the state.
Another 140 will be asked to telework, allowing them to stay in Maryland.
Despite the planned closure, Lockheed Martin will retain ownership of the Middle River site.
The decision is not expected to impact the company's corporate air operations at neighboring Martin State Airport, or any other facility in the state.
Maryland lawmakers like delegate Rick Metzger of neighboring district 6 Dundalk, says the plant has a rich history. His father worked there for years and he did for a short time.
The closing would be a major loss for the county.
"I want to meet with the stakeholders and I'm a salesman and I want to see, do whatever I can as a local leader. I want to keep our jobs here," he said.
Lockheed says the site will close between March and June of 2023.
Here's a company statement on the reason behind the shutdown.
“In our ongoing effort to drive down costs for customers and increase efficiency and value, we are consolidating some operations in our Rotary and Mission Systems business to better align employees, technology and facilities to meet customer needs,” the company said in a statement.
In the meantime, Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems business area is in the process of moving from Washington D.C. to Bethesda, near their main headquarters.
Also over the next two-years, Lockheed Martin says it expects to fill 250 new cyber security positions in Maryland.
Currently, the company employs more than 3,150 people in Maryland.
