Alcatel to speed up optics business restructuring
4 December 2002 -- To "adapt to the persistent crisis in the submarine network and optical fibre markets" (down by more than 80% and 60%, respectively, between 2000 and 2002), French telecoms equipment supplier Alcatel plans to intensify the restructuring of its optical fibre making business, initiated 18 months ago.
Extra measures by end-2003 will include closing an optical fibre factory in northern France and cutting jobs at two other sites in France (bringing total job cuts to 730 jobs):
-- The optical fibre site in Conflans Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines), which had 380 staff at end-2002, will be closed. Its R&D activity will be transferred to the Douvrin (Pas-de-Calais) site and its central functions to another Alcatel site in the Paris region (involving transferring 90 positions).
-- In Calais (Pas-de-Calais), which had 745 staff in Calais in submarine networks and optical fibre activities at end-2002, submarine network staffing will be cut by 280.
-- In Ormes (Loiret), which had 830 staff at end-2002, submarine network staffing will be cut by 70.