Bombardier to cut jobs after slowing sales

Bombardier's Learjet manufacturing facility in Wichita will lose as many as 600 jobs. (Bombardier) — Bombardier’s Learjet manufacturing facility in Wichita will lose as many as 600 jobs. (Bombardier)

Bombardier Aerospace says it will cut 1700 jobs from its Canadian and US facilities after slow sales in 2013.

Media reports in the US say the manufacturer needs to reduce costs as it gears up for production of its delayed CSeries airliner and Lear 85 business jet, and that 1100 jobs will go from its commercial facility at Mirabel in Canada, and as many as 600 from the its Learjet factory in Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita total is reported to include 200 contractors who’s contracts expired in December.

“We have no indication to how long it will be. We think a lot of it is based on the market turning around. We are hopeful that these will be short-term,” Bob Wood, spokesman for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers told Associated Press on January 21.

While overall deliveries were slightly up in 2013, orders for Bombardier’s commercial lines dropped to 81 from its 2012 tally of 138, and from 343 to 305 for its business jet models.