Aerospace firm cutting staff amid Boeing strikes

An aerospace firm says it will be cutting some posts and laying off staff in response to strikes at the American plane manufacturer, Boeing.

Senior, based at Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, has not disclosed how many jobs will be affected.

Boeing, one of the the company's major customers, has been affected by industrial action and safety concerns.

Senior said it had "moved decisively to contain costs and preserve cash".

Senior said the job cuts were "part of cost saving actions being made in response to difficult trading in its aerospace division."

It is understood the production sites impacted by the cuts are mainly in the US.

The firm employs nearly 6,700 staff worldwide, of which 35% are in the UK and Europe, 43% in the US and the rest in Asia and Africa.

The job cuts come in response to strikes at Boeing in America, which are now entering a fourth week, while the aerospace giant is also under pressure from restricted production rates of its 737 MAX, which is under oversight by regulators in the US after a door panel blowout on a commercial flight in January.

Airbus - another major Senior customer - is also being impacted by supply chain challenges due to a shortage of parts.

Senior said: "While the full impact on our businesses exposed to the affected programmes is not yet certain, we have moved decisively to contain costs and preserve cash."

But it added the issues are "clearly temporary in nature".

The firm said: "Increasing aircraft build rates, operational efficiency benefits and improved price agreements are expected to drive good growth in aerospace division performance beyond 2024."

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