Engineer firm set to cut 74 jobs

One of the country’s unemployment blackspots suffered another blow yesterday with news that a multinational engineering firm is to shed 74 jobs, some of which may come about by compulsory redundancy.

Staff at Honeywell Turbo Technologies in Waterford City’s IDA industrial estate were told at lunchtime yesterday that the company wants to implement the redundancies in the coming months, along with short-time work for some other employees.

Some of the redundancies will be compulsory if enough workers don’t avail of a voluntary programme in the first phase of the process, a company spokesman said.

“It would depend on what the response is from the employee base,” he said in relation to the company’s offer of voluntary redundancy.

“I don’t think we want to stretch it out, the idea is to do [the redundancy process] quickly. Hopefully, to get it done by the end of the calendar year, would be a loose plan.”

The company, which is headquartered in the US, employs about 375 people at the Waterford facility but has been examining its Irish operations for some time, having previously cut job numbers in 2008 and 2010.

The latest wave of redundancies is being carried out because a product line in Waterford — a turbo charger part — is becoming obsolete.

The spokesman said a replacement product line is being implemented by the firm “somewhere else”, not in its Irish operation.

Honeywell Turbo Technologies makes engine-boosting systems for cars and commercial vehicles and is part of Honeywell International, which employs more than 100,000 people in 95 countries.

Honeywell intends to maintain employment for about 300 people at the site in Waterford. “Honeywell remains committed to providing support to all our employees during this time, including a comprehensive outplacement support package for affected employees,” it said.