WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today applauded a decision by Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems (MABS) to retain defense-related manufacturing jobs in its Akron facility. Brown has been encouraging Meggitt to reverse a plan that would have shifted defense manufacturing operations from Akron to Mexico.

“These are good paying jobs that contribute to our defense industrial base,” Brown said. “I applaud Meggitt’s decision to keep these jobs in Akron and I look forward to continuing to work to keep jobs in Ohio.”

Meggitt, a recipient of federal defense contracts, announced a tentative plan in Dec. 2007 to shift operations from its braking system facility in Akron to a new facility in Mexico. Brown began working with company officials to encourage them to reverse the decision.

Brown also introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with Sen. Evan in Bayh (D-IN) in Sep. 2008. The senators’ amendment was aimed at studying the role of foreign imports in the U.S. defense industrial base to prevent defense-related jobs from being shifted to foreign countries.

In alerting Brown to the change of plans, company officials at Meggitt cited their work with the Senator and his office.

“Our conversations and correspondence with you and your staff prompted us to closely reexamine this proposed plan,” James J. (Tank) Williams, executive vice president & general manager of global operations at MABS wrote in a letter to Brown. “As a result of that reassessment, MABS has decided to maintain our defense manufacturing presence in Akron. In addition, we are pursuing opportunities to expand these operations and will keep you informed of the progress.”

Meggitt’s decision will reverse the loss of defense-related manufacturing jobs to Mexico, but will not reverse company plans to move commercial manufacturing jobs. Brown will continue to work with company officials to retain jobs in Ohio.

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