Kilgore Flares Company will lay off 127 workers at its Hardeman County plant tomorrow, October 31.

The defense contractor, which manufactures infrared decoy flares and other military countermeasures at 155 Kilgore Drive in Toone, filed a WARN notice with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development in early September. The notice describes a permanent reduction in force. The plant is not closing.

Hardeman County Mayor Todd Pulse said the layoffs are tied to contracts. The facility has operated in the small community since 1960 and is one of the county’s major industrial employers. It had about 308 workers as of early 2021.

Local leaders held a job fair earlier this month in Bolivar with roughly 40 employers to help the affected workers connect with new opportunities. State rapid-response teams have also been coordinating job placement and related services.

Kilgore Flares is part of the British defense company Chemring Group. No additional details on the specific contracts have been released.