GE Transportation to lay off 1,550 in Erie

GE Transportation Systems announced this week it will lay off 1,550 workers at its manufactuing plant in Erie to deal with a “global economic slowdown.”

“The overall economic downturn is substantial, and we at GE Transportation are not immune to the global recession,” CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said in a statement. “In order to stay competitive and ensure our future success, we must bring our cost structure in line with our current fulfillment needs and the softening global market.”

The company is projecting its locomotive production volume at the Erie plant will be 40 percent lower in 2009 than it was in 2008. GE Transportation produces new diesel locomotives at the Erie plant.

Bizjournals