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Bell Helicopter cuts 150 more workers at its Quebec plant amid weak demand

July 24, 2009, Montreal – Bell Helicopter has cut 150 workers at its Mirabel plant north of Montreal as demand has failed to recover, the company said Thursday.

The number includes 50 workers who last month accepted financial incentives to quit or retire by October. Another 100 will be temporarily laid off for the rest of the year "unless things change,'' said Louis Fortin, vice-president of human resources. "The economy in general isn't doing very well and as a result, demand for our products is down," he said in an interview.

Bell Helicopter, a division of U.S. industrial company Textron (NYSE:TXT), is hurting because of financial difficulties faced by companies in the energy, tourism and natural resources sectors, which are the principal purchasers of commercial helicopters.

The layoffs will affect office and plant workers, along with management employees.

The departures are in addition to some 85 who were temporarily laid off in February. The posts will be permanently cut as of Aug. 5.
Bell cut 500 workers in February, but recalled more than 400 last spring.
It currently has about 1,725 employees at its Mirabel facility.