Hewlett-Packard starts seeing job cuts in imaging and printing

Hewlett-Packard Corp. (NYSE: HPQ) spared no expense this past Monday when it brought job cuts to a Boise, Idaho printing and imaging facility. On Labor Day, the world's largest PC manufacturer said, "In some cases, parts of IPG's business will experience reductions while investments will be made in high growth segments of the business. These decisions will be made at the level of the global business unit and are not specific to HP sites." Standard corporate-speak in relation to business unit realignment and reorganization, eh?

HP announced this reorganization back in June, so it should come as no surprise. Idaho's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act states that companies laying off 500 or more employees must provide 60 days notice to affected employees or face a fine equal to a cumulative amount reflective of 60 days pay times the number of employees being laid off. Sources inside HP apparently stated that the company is giving affected employees six weeks to find another position within the company before being given a pink slip.

HP continues to lead the pack when it comes to the manufacturing of PCs as well as printing and imaging equipment. This recent reorganization will realign HP's current five business units inside its IPG (Imaging and Printing Group) to three business units to maximize efficiency out of the entire section of HP's business. HP was pretty adamant in June that layoffs would not be coming to its Boise operations as an effect of something negative in the company's business, but as a result of business unit realignment.