WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Spirit AeroSystems is laying off about 360 salaried support and management employees at its Kansas and Oklahoma facilities, the Wichita-based aircraft parts maker announced Thursday.
The company said that while it had a "cost challenge to address," its core business is performing well at unprecedented production rate that is driving its revenue, earnings and cash. Spirit AeroSystems said it remains strong with a "robust backlog" of orders worth about $36 billion.
"Today's action is a strategic move to make the company more competitive in a cost-sensitive environment, and results from an ongoing workforce assessment designed to reduce overhead costs, increase efficiency and drive improved performance," the company said in a news release.
The company declined to break down the layoff numbers between the two affected facilities. Spirit AeroSystems employs 16,000 people globally, including 11,000 at its Wichita, Kan., headquarters and 2,500 at its plant in Tulsa, Okla.
