Royal IHC to lay off staff

In order to remain cost-efficient and competitive IHC says it will increasingly outsource production activities. Product development and design as well as sales and marketing will remain within the company. This strategic adjustment will have an impact on about 425 employees in the Netherlands. The management of IHC is talking about this with work councils and trade associations.
IHC had already announced that it expected to remain below the forecast sales budget for the whole of 2016. The associated low level of turnover makes it necessary to drastically cut costs, particularly in support positions within the organisation, IHC said. In addition, the company's section-building activities will be further outsourced in order to respond to competition from Eastern Europe and Asia. IHC will maintain the shipbuilding slipway in Krimpen as its main slipway. The Kinderdijk slipway will be maintained as a reserve. In response to the economic situation and the need for cutbacks, the Executive Board is being reduced to two members: CEO Dave Vander Heyde and CFO Arie Vergunst.