Alcatel Optronics cuts 25% of staff in rationalisation

July 1, 2002

After a 2001 operating loss of €361m, by end-2002 Alcatel Optronics will cut staffing by 25% (from 1,805 at end-March to about 1,350). The downsizing will affect all of its manufacturing sites:

  • Optical Fiber Amplifier (OFA)/ Optical Interface Subsystem (OIF) assembly based in Illkirch, France will be transferred back to the primary facility for active components in Nozay by end-2002. In Nozay, as well as in Lannion, Alcatel Optronics will use part-time employment, early retirement and prolonged leaves to reduce headcount. In Lannion it is exploring the reconversion of the production unit with one or more partners. The Optronics site employs 320 out of a total of 2,000 in Lannion.
  • Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) manufacturing in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada will be closed and transferred to Alcatel Optronics UK's fellow passive terrestrial planar lightwave circuit (PLC) manufacturing plant in Livingston, Scotland, UK. R&D activities will be retained along with a commercial presence in Kanata, Ontario.
  • Staffing will be cut at the board assembly site in Plano, TX, USA.
  • The non-core, non-telecoms MEMS and Planar design software activities in the Netherlands will be divested through a management buy-out by end-June.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 9, 2025
As transceiver speeds increase, so do thermal challenges. Discover key insights into innovative cooling solutions that ensure optimal performance and reliability.
Dec. 6, 2024
The metro network continues to evolve. As service providers have built out fiber in metro areas, they have offered Ethernet-based data services to businesses and other providers...
Dec. 9, 2024
As we wind down 2024, Lightwave’s latest on-topic eBook will examine the hot topics for 2025. AI is at the top of the minds of optical industry players supporting...
Jan. 30, 2025
With the ongoing drive to support AI and the need for high-speed data center interconnection, the call for higher-speed 800G optical technology is emerging. Initially focused ...