Dyson, the renowned vacuum cleaner manufacturer, announced it will cut around 1,000 jobs in Britain, equating to more than a quarter of its UK workforce. This decision is part of a larger global restructuring plan to stay competitive in an increasingly challenging market.
Company Statement and Rationale
In a statement on Tuesday, Dyson CEO Hanno Kirner explained, “We have grown quickly and, like all companies, we review our global structures from time to time to ensure we are prepared for the future. As such, we are proposing changes to our organization, which may result in redundancies. Dyson operates in increasingly fierce and competitive global markets, in which the pace of innovation and change is only accelerating. We know we always need to be entrepreneurial and agile – principles that are not new to Dyson.”
Impact on UK Operations
The job cuts will affect Dyson's operations in Britain, where the company employs 3,500 people, including at its research and development center in Malmesbury, west England. Despite the layoffs, Dyson continues to invest in R&D and product design in the UK.
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Dyson's global workforce numbers around 15,000. The company informed employees of the layoffs on Tuesday. This restructuring follows a previous round of layoffs in 2020, where 900 workers were let go due to pandemic-related challenges.
Despite these workforce reductions, Dyson achieved record revenues of £7.1 billion ($9.1 billion) in 2023, up from £6.5 billion in 2022.
Dyson's Global Footprint
Founded in 1991 by James Dyson, the company has expanded its manufacturing operations globally. Manufacturing moved from Malmesbury to Malaysia in 2002, and a plant in Singapore was opened in 2013 for producing digital motors. In 2019, Dyson relocated its corporate headquarters to Singapore to be closer to its manufacturing sites and the Asian markets that account for a significant portion of its sales.
Controversies and Innovations
The move to Singapore was controversial, given James Dyson's support for Brexit. However, the company stated that the decision was not related to the UK's exit from the European Union. Dyson has continued to innovate, working on products like air purifiers, hair dryers, and other appliances. Although the company ventured into electric vehicles, the project was abandoned in 2019.
