Mazda Offer Buyouts As US Workers Brace For Layoffs

Mazda Motor Corp., battling four years of losses, is offering voluntary buyout packages to U.S. workers and raising the specter of dismissals in an effort to cut costs.

Mazda is “in the midst of an extremely challenging business environment,” said Jim O’Sullivan, CEO of Mazda North American Operations, in a March 7 memo to employees obtained by Automotive News. “It has become necessary for us to reexamine our business to accelerate further cost improvements.”

Mazda spokesman Jeremy Barnes confirmed the plan today. Mazda has 701 U.S. employees, he said.

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