Eclipse will lay off 38% of its workforce three weeks into the leadership of new CEO Roel Pieper, who has buoyed numerous struggling companies with reorganization in his career.
The layoffs include temporary workers on hire for less than six months but officials aren’t saying which executive posts are among the 650 employees being cut. Eclipse maintenance facilities in Albany and Gainesville will lose workers, as will Albuquerque headquarters.
Production of the Eclipse 500 will slow in 2008 but rebound in 2009 and climb above the present rate of just less than one per day. The remaining workforce will be 1,100 employees.
"Financial stability is critical for this company and unfortunately, a reduction in workforce was necessary to achieve it,” says Pieper.