The company clarifies that its decision is not influenced by the general election outcome, having previously expressed criticism of the economic plans proposed by both the Conservatives and Labour.
Sir James Dyson’s gadget empire plans to cut nearly a third of its British workforce amid intense competition. On Tuesday, the billionaire inventor’s company announced a proposal to lay off approximately 1,000 of its 3,500 UK-based employees.
Dyson’s chief executive, Hanno Kirner, described the redundancies as “painful,” noting they resulted from a global operations review initiated earlier this year.
The review reportedly began before the general election was called in May and is unrelated to the policies of the new Labour government.
This decision follows Dyson’s cessation of its electric car project and the launch of noise-cancelling, air-purifying headphones, which some critics have likened to Hannibal Lecter’s mask.
Sales at Dyson Ltd, the UK division known for its bagless vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, and heaters, declined by 10% to £376 million in 2022, the latest year with available accounts on Companies House.
In contrast, global sales for the same year increased from £6 billion to £6.5 billion, according to the company.
The following year, revenues reached £7.1 billion, despite the challenges of closing its Russian operations and supply chain disruptions.
It remains unclear if job cuts will affect other international locations on Tuesday, with the company also employing around 2,000 people in Singapore.
The UK job reductions will impact Dyson’s extensive campus in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, which will continue to serve as a major research hub and the home of the Dyson Institute.
