TOKYO, Jan 29, 2009 (Kyodo News International - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- RICOF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Ricoh Co. plans to shed 250 temporary workers at seven of its domestic manufacturing plants by the end of March as the company is being forced to reduce production of its mainstay photocopiers because of poor demand, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.
Slated for the job cuts are nonregular workers at the seven production facilities that assemble copiers or make copier parts, according to the sources.
The seven factories include those operated by its subsidiaries in Miyagi, Saitama, Saga and Tottori prefectures, they added.
The Ricoh group now employs about 4,300 temporary factory hands.
The 250 workers will be sacked when their employment contracts expire by March 31.
The company will continue to have a surplus workforce after the job cuts but it will try to keep them by shortening their work hours, for example, the sources said.
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