HANOVER TOWNSHIP -- After more than 60 years in Hanover Township, employing hundreds of people in highly-paid and highly-skilled positions, the Air Products and Chemicals plant is closing.
"Nobody wants to find themselves in this situation. Certainly when I first arrived here in 1995, I certainly did not think I'd be standing here making this decision," General Manager Sandy McLauchlin said.
The 75 employees here build liquefied natural gas heat exchangers, which are shipped to customers worldwide. Many workers had been on the job for more than 25 years.
"Their lives are being changed. There's a lot of employees who have been here many years. They spent their lives here," McLauchlin said.
Officials said unfortunately, their hands were tied when it came to this decision because now, more than ever there is a larger supply of natural gas. However, there is not as much of a demand as there had been in years past.
"This is not a reflection on our workforce at all. We are very proud of the workforce we've had here. They've done a tremendous job. They just find themselves in an unfortunate circumstance where there's nothing really they can do now," McLauchlin said.
Employees didn't know it at the time, but a heat exchanger that they made two weeks ago would be their last. The plant officially closes on August 1.
Now, McLauchlin looks back fondly as his time here begins to close.
"The place has been great. The community has been great. The state has been great supporting us for many years," McLauchlin said.
All 75 employees were offered severance packages by Air Products and Chemicals.
The company does have another facility, but it is based in Florida.