In a press release distributed today (Sunday), it appears that the Wertheimer family’s blade factory is in danger. The Pratt & Whitney company, part of the Raytheon Technologies (RTX) corporation, has informed its subsidiary BTL (blade technology) of the cessation of compressor blade production during the year 2025. This move originates from business considerations, following the growing losses of the plant.
The closure of the activity comes 8 years after the Pratt & Whitney company purchased the control (51%) from the company’s founders, the Verthei Mer family, for hundreds of millions of shekels. Along with ceasing the production of compressor blades, BTL will continue the production of integral blades (IBR), while TJL, another subsidiary of RTX located in Tefen, will continue to produce turbine blades that are essential for the corporation’s key activities.
During the year 2023, the production activity of the compressor blades will continue as usual. The closing process will begin in 2024 and be completed in 2025. The BTL company informed the Histadrut and the workers’ committee of the decision and will negotiate with them regarding the workers’ conditions.
Against the backdrop of BTL’s losses is a decline in demand for compressor blades, a trend that is getting stronger. In addition, the current technology and process capacity do not allow to meet the productivity in a way that would be economically feasible.