Technology firm to axe 130 jobs

One of the world’s leading technology firms is to axe more than a quarter of its workforce at its European headquarters in Dublin, it was revealed today.

US-based Xilinx, which develops and makes top of the range microchips, will shed 130 positions over the next nine months after the company was forced to reduce its global workforce by 6%.

The 400 R&D, manufacturing, administration and support staff at the company’s plant in Citywest were briefed on the restructuring plans at a morning meeting.

“The severance package will be very appropriate,” a company spokesman said.

Xilinx makes programmable microchips used in a wide range of industries including aerospace and defence, car manufacturing and broadcast and communications such as TV box sets and satellite systems orbiting the Earth.

The company said Dublin would remain its European HQ.

Founded in 1984 Xilinx did 1.8 billion of business in 2008 and employed about 3,500 employees serving 20,000 customers worldwide. It also has headquarters in San Jose, California and Singapore.