A Chester County factory is set to close, laying off dozens of workers
Layoffs at the Elverson plant could begin as early as August. PPG Industries, which acquired Whitford in 2019, is offering workers opportunities at other facilities.
A Chester County manufacturer that was acquired by a Pittsburgh-based company several years ago is now planning to close its local plant, putting dozens out of work in the coming months.
The 82 employees of Whitford Corp.’s Elverson facility will be laid off by next year, according to a notice filed with the state. The facility is scheduled to cease operations by Jan. 15 and close by March, the notice said.
Whitford’s parent company, PPG Industries Inc., which makes paints and coatings, is headquartered in Pittsburgh. PPG acquired Whitford in 2019.
The plant closure and expected layoffs are part “of a global initiative to reduce structural costs,” the notice states.
“PPG continually evaluates its production footprint to position its business for long-term sustainability and meet customers’ evolving needs,” spokesperson Mark Silvey said in an email on Tuesday. “As a result of our recent evaluations, we have made the difficult decision to cease operations at PPG’s Elverson, Pennsylvania facility.”
Silvey added that the company believes the decision will allow the business to “better serve and support” customers with “consistent product quality and faster, more reliable service” while also reducing costs.
Jobs at that facility include production operators, material handlers, quality control technicians, and development chemists. The facility manufactures adhesives, sealants, and liquid coating products, said Silvey, which the company will now do elsewhere, according to the notice.
Layoffs will happen in waves, beginning on Aug. 18 and ending in December 2026.
Whitford was founded in 1969 in Elverson. When PPG acquired Whitford six years ago, the company specialized in coatings for the automotive, aerospace, energy, and construction industries, and made nonstick coatings for kitchen appliances and cookware. At that time, Whitford had 10 manufacturing facilities, including in India, China, and Canada, and employed some 700 workers.
The plant closure in Pennsylvania is part of a larger planned “multiyear cost reduction program” at PPG, Silvey said. The company announced in October that it would close plants and cut 1,800 jobs as part of a cost-reduction plan, alongside an announcement that it had reached an agreement to sell its architectural coatings business.
The business operates in over 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.8 billion in 2024.
Workers impacted by the plant closure in Elverson will be offered the opportunity to transfer to another PPG facility, according to the layoff notice. The company did not respond to questions about where the closest facilities are located and how many workers are expected to transfer.