Cabletron lays off 180 employees

Cabletron Systems (CS) said today that it is laying off about 180 full-time manufacturing employees, or about 3 percent of its workforce, as part of a corporate realignment.

The move marks the second round of layoffs in the computer networking business during recent weeks, with the most recent occurring at 3Com (COMS). The layoffs also come a day after Cabletron posted a $6.3 million loss, before charges, for the fourth fiscal quarter, compared with a profit of $72.6 million for the like quarter a year ago.

Cabletron will lay off about 120 workers at its Rochester, New Hampshire, facility. The remaining 60 jobs are located in Ironton, Ohio. The affected employees are responsible for making computer networking products.

"The realignment has involved some difficult actions, but these efforts have already allowed the company to realize significant cost savings," Cabletron chief executive Don Reed said in a statement.

Last week, 3Com said it was laying off 380 people--230 full-time and 150 contract workers--at two former US Robotics facilities in Chicago. The group worked on the manufacturing line for modems and remote access servers. In addition, 3Com said that John McCartney, president of 3Com's client access business operation, has resigned.

Cabletron stock was up 5/16, at 15-1/4, in midday trading.