Specialized International and Australia cut workforce

[AUbicycles]

I heard that Specialized Australia has 'let go' of 10 staff in their Melbourne office including (unconfirmed) their managing director which is related to the international organisation changes.

Internationally 3% of their workforce are being laid off (which is just under 50 people at the Morgan Hill headquarters in the US.

The international news was reported on Bicycle Retailer.

“We are tightening up our structure and focusing on three key areas: innovation, marketing and supply chain,” said Mike Sinyard, Specialized's founder and CEO. “We are investing in new R&D space in Switzerland, Taiwan and Morgan Hill that will keep us at the forefront of cycling innovation. We are focusing on marketing that will expand the global market for our brand and help our retailers drive traffic and sales. And finally, we are investing in our supply chain to ensure we are delivering the best product at the best price to riders and our retailers. All of this is an investment in our future.

“We have made the difficult but necessary decision to reduce the number of employees and realign the organization. Our employees are, and have always been, what make this brand so special,” Sinyard added. “This decision, and the impact on our teammates, is of course very hard.”

[Calvin27]

I find it funny when companies do restructures that usually come with job cuts and promising new focus areas.

It's like what were these people doing before that you didn't realise was useless? What are these new things that you are focusing on now that you apperently paid no attention to. Corporatism is a joke treating people like idiots. Restructures with jobs cuts almost always translates to 'we are cutting corners and fattening profits'.

[bychosis]

I find it funny when companies do restructures that usually come with job cuts and promising new focus areas.

It's like what were these people doing before that you didn't realise was useless? What are these new things that you are focusing on now that you apperently paid no attention to. Corporatism is a joke treating people like idiots. Restructures with jobs cuts almost always translates to 'we are cutting corners and fattening profits'.

Then they work out soon enough that the corners that were cut can't be done without so they eventually rehire, or in the public sector get contractors/consultants in at a higher cost.

[find_bruce]

I hope they are not cutting back on litigation, because, you know, lawyers are people too

[trailgumby]

A lot of it has to do with companies getting top heavy over time.

It's a lot easier to hire new people too than it is to shed them when the workload ebbs. People don't think ahead.

[Ant_S]

I notice they're sponsoring Red Hook Crit now, next race has a Specialized Langster as the prize bike. So that confirms some of their marketing focus I guess..