CHELMSFORD — Electro-Scientific Industries announced this week that it would be closing its Chelmsford plant later this year, eliminating 45 high-tech manufacturing jobs.
Though no date was given for when the Elizabeth Drive facility would shut its doors, a company spokesman said it would be some time in late 2015.
The company, which is based in Oregon, works in laser-based manufacturing solutions for the microtechnology industry. It described the closing as a “corporate restructuring” aimed at streamlining the companies development and manu- facturing operations.
Products that are currently manufactured in the Chelmsford office will be transferred to other branches.
“This action will enable us to further focus our efforts on growing our business while consolidating manufacturing facilities and lowering our fixed-cost base,” Edward C. Grady, the president and CEO of ESI, said in a statement posted on the company’s website.
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the affected employees for their valuable contributions to ESI. While these moves are difficult, they are a necessary step in our revitalization plan, to position us for future growth and profitability.”
ESI spokesman Brian Smith said the eliminated jobs were in areas including research and development, manufacturing, marketing and application development.
He added that “a subset” of the Chelmsford employees had been offered positions elsewhere within the company, but he declined to say how many employees or where those jobs would be.
In addition to Oregon, the company also lists offices in California and Montana, as well as countries around the world.
Smith said most of the eliminated jobs are at the Chelmsford branch, but did not say how many layoffs are being made at other branches.
The move is projected to save the company $4.5 million annually once it is fully implemented at the end of this year, according to the company statement. In the meantime, it will pay about $5.5 million in severance and facility-related costs.
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