Layoffs continued at Columbia Sportswear this week as it cuts 80 positions, or nearly 2 percent of its workforce worldwide, to bring costs in line with lower growth expectations for 2012, The Oregonian newspaper reported at oregonlive.com.
The newspaper quoted a Columbia spokesman confirming that most of the layoffs are occurring at Columbia’s headquarters near Portland or the company’s headquarters in Europe.
Columbia CEO Tim Boyle told investors early last month that the company would implement cost-cutting measures to limit the growth of selling, general and administrative expenses in 2012 to a rate comparable to anticipated 2012 sales growth. At the time, Columbia said poor sell though at retail of its winter apparel due to this winter's abnormally warm weather would likely prompt retailers to order less of those products for winter 2012-13.
Columbia Sportswear, which owns the Sorel, Mountain Hardwear and Montrail brands, employed 4,100 at the end of 2011.
