Job losses at Philips in Turnhout
78 jobs are set to be lost at Philips Lighting in Turnhout. A special works council was informed of the news this morning. The job losses represent ten percent of the workforce. The unions are worried several hundred more jobs could be lost in 2019 onwards.
Not all job losses can be achieved through natural wastage and some redundancies are expected. Even more jobs could go as production is set to fall by 30% by 2020. The management has guaranteed the plant will stay open till 2020 at least. The job losses didn't come as a surprise to the workforce. The unions say that securing alternative employment is now the priority.
At its height in 2007 Philips Lighting employed 2,400 in Turnhout. As a result of falling demand employment levels have fallen to 700 today.