A Middlebury company that makes filaments used in a wide variety of brushes is planning to lay off half its work force this summer.
Monahan Filaments President Jon Monahan says 54 of about 100 workers will lose their jobs on June 21.
Monahan tells the Rutland Herald the company is scaling back to match its orders, which dropped by half in the last year.
The company makes filaments used in products from large industrial brushes to toothbrushes.
Monahan says federal stimulus spending could help the company, but it would likely take a few years before the manufacturer sees any benefit.
Robin Scheu of the Addison County Economic Development Corp. says the layoffs are a blow to the region.