Telephonics lays off 20 as it consolidates Huntington location

Telephonics Corp., a Farmingdale-based electronics defense contractor, laid off 20 employees this week as it consolidated its local manufacturing operations.

The company, which has roughly 1,250 workers on Long Island and elsewhere, recently downsized its facility on Park Avenue in Huntington from three buildings to two, trimming its space by 12 percent, or about 58,000 square feet. The move meant Telephonics needed fewer security guards, receptionists and other support positions.

“There was a lot of replication which was no longer necessary,” the company’s chief executive Joseph Battaglia said.

Employees were notified of the cuts on Monday and will be paid through the week, Battaglia said. They will also receive severance packages, he said. It was the company’s first layoff in more than 17 years, he said.

Telephonics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Griffon Corp., specializes in airborne maritime surveillance radar and aircraft intercommunication management systems.

Photo: The Huntington assembly floor for Telephonics Corp., a major manufacturer of electronic components for both civilian and military aircraft, in Huntington.