AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A Maine company that’s one of two major producers of COVID-19 testing swabs has extended a furlough for 180 employees.

The three-week furlough extension at Puritan Medical Products’ manufacturing plant in Pittsfield was announced Thursday as the company works to finalize orders from the federal government for additional products.

The workers were sent home in June when the production of swabs outpaced demand as the number of virus cases declined in the U.S.

The announcement came as Abbott Laboratories laid off about 400 workers in Westbrook and Scarborough over a drop in demand for the company’s instant tests for COVID-19.

Puritan expects to recall the furloughed workers in August.

“Everything about this last year was unprecedented and unpredictable, including the current furlough. Each employee who has worked at Puritan over the past year is a hero,” the company said.