JBT Lektro Cuts Warrenton Workforce During Virus Slowdown

WARRENTON — JBT Lektro, an electric airplane tug manufacturer at the Astoria Regional Airport, has laid off around 20 people as the company responds to a slowdown in the aircraft industry from the coronavirus.

Megan Rattigan, a spokeswoman for JBT Corp., said the layoffs were a result of declining demand for Lektro products. She declined to confirm the exact number of people let go, but said it was well under half of the Warrenton workforce of around 80 employees.

“I would say if we return to full production, we would be hopeful there would be the ability to rehire,” she said. “They were considered layoffs, and our decision also included reduced work hours” throughout the company.

Lektro, one of Clatsop County’s few high-tech manufacturers, was acquired last year by JBT Corp., a Chicago-based food-processing and airport equipment company, for $48 million.

Former employees, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the layoffs started after a farewell speech last week by Eric Paulson, the former owner who became general manager after selling the company.

“It’s something that we shouldn’t be super-surprised about with this new company that owns it now. But still it was just kind of in poor taste to be right after the farewell speech, which was uplifting, emotional, inspiring,” a former assembly mechanic said. “And then all of a sudden, we’re dropping like flies.”

Former employees believe they would have to reapply for their jobs at renegotiated wages if the jobs become available again.

“They said we would have to apply like everyone else, and that we would have to negotiate on wages,” a former electrical preassembly technician said.

The Port of Astoria and JBT Lektro recently finished negotiating an amended lease that incentivizes the company through capped rent and credits to stay at the airport through at least August 2030.

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