PORT ANGELES — Westport Shipyard Inc. laid off a small but unspecified number of employees in Port Angeles, as well as in Westport and Hoquiam, on Thursday.
Company officials declined to say how many people were laid off, but a former employee in the design department at the Port Angeles cabinet shop said at least six lost their jobs at that shop.
Bob Ruecker, human resources director, issued a statement from the yacht-manufacturing company confirming layoffs in Port Angeles, Westport and Hoquiam.
“While the number of employees affected by today’s actions is small relative to our total employment, the impact on each individual is very significant,” the statement read.
“These are people that are caught up in the impacts of the [economic] downturn. This is a regrettable situation.”
Phil Beirnes, Westport general manager, could not be reached for comment.
“Westport Shipyard Inc. and our client base are not immune to the effect of the current global economy,” the company statement said.
“This has required Westport to adjust our production to current market demands.”
‘Lack of work’
Keri Phipps was one of the employees who received notice that they were being “terminated due to lack of work” on Thursday morning.
She had worked at Westport for three years.
Her husband was laid off from Westport in June.
Phipps could not confirm whether other Westport employees had been laid off besides those in the room with her.
Although she wishes the layoffs hadn’t happened, Phipps said she doesn’t blame the company.
‘Can tell it’s coming’
“Sometimes you can tell it’s coming,” said Phipps, who plans to go back to college.
“They’ve been doing layoffs for almost a year.”
In early December, Westport announced that it had laid off employees at its headquarters in Westport.
The company declined to say how many were laid off, but one employee told The Daily World newspaper in Aberdeen that at least 50 lost their jobs on Dec. 3.
In February, Westport laid off workers in Westport, Hoquiam and La Conner.
Employees said between 100 and 120 lost their jobs in Hoquiam and Westport.
In Port Angeles, Westport laid off an unknown number of employees in June at the cabinet shop.
No layoffs were reported at the yacht-building plant on Marine Drive — where the company makes 164-foot yachts that start at about $34 million.
The cabinet shop near William R. Fairchild International Airport had completed a $1.3 million, 16,500-square-foot expansion in May.
The cabinet shop makes the interior woodwork for all of Westport’s yachts.
Company officials said last month Westport is developing other products in addition to yachts.
For instance, the company has shown an interest in contracts to build Coast Guard vessels.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.