Connecticut Can't Measure Up: Stanley Black & Decker Closes Last Manufacturing Plant
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On February 26, 2026, 183-year-old Stanley Black & Decker announced the closing of its New Britain manufacturing plant—the last of its production plants in CT, where it once employed thousands of machinists. This is a major blow to the city’s industrial history and marks the end of an era for local manufacturing.
The Closure: The Myrtle Street plant in New Britain produces one-sided tape measures. The company is pivoting to double-sided printing on the tape blade and smart tools such as laser distance measurers and apps. Local politicians including State Rep Dave DeFronzo (D-New Britain) and Mayor Bobby Sanchez (D-New Britain) point to the president's shifting trade policies and tariffs, and broader instability in the national environment. However, significant operations had already shifted to Tennessee, where electricity rates are 50% cheaper and where there is no state income tax.
Job Losses: About 300 jobs are expected to be impacted. While the timeline is still being finalized, the transition is part of a broader "business transformation" to consolidate manufacturing into automated hubs.
Headquarters Stay—for Now: In a small bit of relief for the state, the global headquarters that employs 300 on Stanley Drive will remain open. However, a lingering question remains: If a company no longer makes its products here, how long until it decides it no long needs to manage them here?
Between the Lines: As Connecticut’s industrial tax base erodes, the state’s fiscal health becomes dangerously reliant on the personal income and conveyance taxes generated in Fairfield County. Here's Looking at You, Greenwich.