With the sale of helicopters down in the U.S. and globally, Airbus Helicopters has made voluntary severance packages available to its Lowndes County employees.
“As a result of the sales slowdown, we are trying to make adjustments to the staffing levels, not unlike most other companies,” Bob Cox, senior manager of communications with Airbus, told The Dispatch in an email Wednesday. “Rather than involuntarily lay off employees, we have offered a voluntary severance package that will be attractive to some people.”
Airbus, an aircraft manufacturer, operates a 350,000 square foot plant in the Golden Triangle Industrial Park, where it assembles helicopters. It employs roughly 250 people there, according to Cox.
Airbus employees in Texas, where approximately 850 people work, have also been offered the severance package.
Employees who volunteer to leave — their last day with the company would be Dec. 31 — will receive a payment based on their salary or wages and years of service. The offer was made “a few weeks ago,” according to Cox.
“There is no set number of people we are hoping that will leave,” he said.
Cox did not know how many exactly had accepted the severance offer.
“My understanding is there are a number of people who said yes,” Cox said. “It’s not a huge number, but it’s some. I haven’t been told an official number yet.”
There are no plans to implement layoffs.
At its Lowndes County plant, Airbus builds the UH-72A Lakota for the U.S. Army and recently began a full production line for the AS350 AStar commercial helicopter.
While the company does not expect a significant improvement in sales in 2015, Cox said Airbus feels there is a “solid base of work” at the Lowndes County facility on the Lakota program. The Army recently placed orders for additional aircraft, Cox added, and Airbus expects that will “result in a strong workload in the second half of 2015 and beyond.”
Dispatch reporter Nathan Gregory contributed to this report.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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