OCP Cutting Workforce Next Summer

Fiber optic component manufacturer Optical Communications Products Inc. will layoff up to 180 workers at its Woodland Hills facility next summer, the company has announced. The layoffs in the U.S. and at a facility in Taiwan are tied to OCP recently making a deal with SAE Magnetics to manufacture certain of its product line in China, the company said. The reductions are not expected to take place before the summer of 2007, the company said. “We greatly appreciate the contributions our employees have made over the years,” said company CEO Philip F. Otto, in a statement. “We will work with those who will be affected by the changes to ensure the smoothest possible transition. “We expect to retain many qualified employees in both the United States and Taiwan who will continue to develop the various new products demanded by our customers,” Otto added. The agreement with SAE Magnetics, a subsidiary of TDK Corporation, expands OCP’s manufacturing capacity while simultaneously reducing costs, Otto said. “We will continue to fulfill low-volume, fast-delivery requirements from our facilities in the U.S.,” Otto said. “With this step, we will now build on this core strength, adding manufacturing flexibility and faster product developments as vital components our strategy.”