Shock as DHL to axe 320 jobs across the country
INTERNATIONAL courier giant DHL is to axe 320 jobs over the next three months as it drastically scales back its packaging service in Ireland.
And a further 55 jobs are to be lost at the Belgian technology firm Option Wireless in Kilbarry, Co Cork.
DHL Express, one of the four divisions of the transport company in Ireland, is to shut regional depots in Athlone, Enniscorthy, Waterford, Cavan, Galway, Sligo and Tralee.
There will also be staff cutbacks at offices and warehouses in Dublin, Limerick and Cork.
The redundancies will amount to 320 people from a "variety of positions", including operational and support staff, said a company spokesman. The cutbacks will leave 300 staff still working at DHL Express.
The job cuts are being made as the company plans to scale back deliveries around Ireland but the international end of the company will remain the same, added the spokesman.
The changes are a result of the "extremely challenging economic environment", managing director of DHL Express Bernard McCarthy told employees. And Mr McCarthy told the Irish Independent last night: "As economic activity has slowed, volume has obviously reduced in line with that to the point where, for us, it is not sustainable to continue the domestic business in its current form."
Employees were said to be shocked at last night's announcement as they had previously agreed efficiencies in recent months. A number of the redundancies will be at the recently opened hub by Dublin airport, said a SIPTU representative.
Crisis
"North Dublin amongst other areas are heading towards an unemployment crisis and we must develop both local and national initiatives to halt these social disasters," said union organiser Pat Ward.
The company said a "generous" redundancy package would be offered to employees. DHL currently employs some 1,600 people in Ireland across four divisions -- DHL Express, DHL Freight, DHL Supply Chain and DHL Global Forwarding.
In Cork, Option Wireless blamed its job cuts on falling global demand. The operation in Kilbarry is mainly engaged in the customisation and logistics of hi-tech wireless devices.
Meanwhile, one of Ireland's largest architecture practices, Douglas Wallace Architects & Designers, last night confirmed it was closing after an attempt to put together a rescue package had failed.
- Shane Hickey, Ralph Riegel and Laura Noonan
