National Semiconductor to cut 30 jobs in Maine

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Chip maker National Semiconductor Corp. sharply lowered its outlook for the current quarter Tuesday and said it would cut 1,100 jobs, or 10 percent of its work force.

The company plans to cut 30 jobs at its South Portland, Maine, manufacturing facility, said Paul Edmonds, vice president of operations in Maine.

National Semiconductor said orders have been lower than expected and that inventory remains high. The company also has been hurt by consolidation among manufacturers of cellphones. In the company’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ends May 27, National expects revenue of $390 million to $400 million, down as much as 18 percent from the third quarter.

“The Maine facility has been working hard to reduce production costs for the past several months to offset a significant drop in current demand for our products,” Edmonds said. “Unfortunately, we will have to reduce our work force at this time to be in line with our current order rate.”

The facility processes 8-inch wafers used in appliances, computers, scanners, DVDs and wireless communications. The factory operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and employs 700 people in South Portland, including engineers, technicians and support personnel.