Electroimpact to lay off 66 workers over ‘lack of work’

SEATTLE — Engineering firm Electroimpact of Mukilteo — which supplies aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus with manufacturing equipment — has hit a lull in the cycle of new airplane work and is laying off 66 employees, about 9 percent of its workforce.

“The reason is lack of work. What we’re missing now is a monster anchor project,” said Electroimpact Vice President John Hartmann.

“We finished with Boeing’s 777X, the Airbus A350, the Embraer E2, the Airbus A400M. These were massive projects that took over 100 engineers. We don’t have that right now.”

Boeing is not yet ready to launch its next new airplane, and Airbus is waiting until Boeing moves.

“It’s not like we are going out of business. We have a substantial backlog,” he added. “But new work isn’t replacing old work right now.”

The company has about 700 employees, Hartmann said.

There will almost certainly be follow-on orders for 777X and A350 equipment as Boeing and Airbus ramp up those jet programs.