Dell to reveal plans for operation this week

AN announcement by Dell concerning the future of its Limerick operation is expected on Thursday.

Senior management at the American multinational’s Irish arm have already been briefed in preparation for the announcement which will end weeks of speculation about the computer manufacturer’s plans.

The announcement is expected to outline the removal of the company’s computer manufacturing facility from Limerick to a plant in Lodz, Poland, resulting in 2,000 lay-offs over the next 12 months.

However, several hundred jobs in the logistics, finance and company command centre are expected to be maintained.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Q4 Public Relations, which deals with media inquires on behalf of Dell, said: “No comment will be made on Dell’s future plans until employees have been informed.”

News of the pending announcement comes as Labour spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan called on ministers to come clean with Dell’s workers about what they know.

“Reports locally suggest that Michael Dell will come to Limerick himself this week and that an announcement will be made within a few days. We are also told that a consortium, led by Nicky Hartery, has put forward a plan that, with government support, could save many of the manufacturing jobs. However, one Sunday paper denies that any such proposals have been put to Dell. All of this speculation must be devastating for workers and their families as they await concrete information.”

Ms O’Sullivan said workers are being told that discussions and negotiations must remain secret.

“It is vital for the Dell workers that the Irish Government is putting in a 100% effort on their behalf and on behalf of the thousands of other workers whose jobs will be at risk if Dell closes its manufacturing operation,” she said.

“I raised in the Dáil on the last day of sitting before Christmas the proposal by the Polish Government to invest a further €52.7 million to bring a further 3,000 Dell jobs to their country. Are we doing enough to match that? At present we don’t know because no information is forthcoming from government.”

Ms O’Sullivan said this is a crucial week for Limerick and the mid-west.

She added: “We can’t just hope that it won’t turn out to be as bad as predicted. We must be sure that no effort was spared or will be spared to keep Dell workers in employment.”

Former Dell executive Nicky Hartery has remained tight-lipped about reports he has put a consortium together to try and continue laptop manufacturing at the Limerick plant.

Michael Dell plans to outsource all manufacturing at the nine Dell plants worldwide following on the same strategy already put in place by arch rivals Hewlett-Packard.

Dell has confirmed that Mike Cannon, its president of global operations, would leave the company on January 31.

Mr Cannon had been hired to lead the review of Dell’s global operations.