Lotus could lay off a total of 325 people as part of a restructuring program, a number which represents just over a quarter of the 1,215 employees worldwide. The restructuring program is part of efforts to build a “strong, sustainable future”, according to a press statement sent out yesterday.
“Regrettably, it is likely that compulsory job losses will be needed to ensure that the company has the right number of people with the right skills. Lotus intends to redeploy staff wherever possible and will look for ways to retain specific skills and knowledge within the business, despite the proposed cuts. It also proposes to recruit into key roles, to help achieve the best possible structure and skill base,” it added.
“We understand the concerns that this proposal will create. We deeply regret the potential impact any reshaping of the business may have on our employees and their families. We have worked very hard to avoid the need to make the proposal, but do believe that it is now essential. It is in no way a reflection on our employees who have shown nothing but dedication to us and have worked tirelessly to support Lotus. Once the reshaping has been undertaken, and with its strong and experienced management team, Lotus should be a leaner, more competitive organization,” said Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales in the statement.
Gales was joined Lotus as CEO in May 2014 from his previous gig as CEO of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) since 2012. Prior to CLEPA, he was made president of both Automobiles Peugeot and Automobiles Citroen in 2009. Gales also previously held senior posts at Daimler, General Motors, Fiat and Volkswagen.
Lotus also hired former Kia Europe executive Jean-Charles Lievens to develop the automaker’s sales network in the southern European region, and former Millbrook Proving Ground CEO Miguel Fragoso as Engineering Director.
Lotus Cars Malaysia recently revised prices for its whole line-up in Malaysia and as a result it registered its best ever monthly sales this month. The Elise S is now priced at RM280k, down from RM332k, while the Evora S’s price tag was dropped from RM567k to RM476k. Global sales are on the uptrend as well, with Lotus sales increasing 31% worldwide (505 units up from 386 units) for the first financial quarter of 2014.
Lotus is also working on a sedan and an SUV to supplement their sports cars “Porsche style”.
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now we are talking!! Put the company interest before fat paying execs and mgmt
cool..
bye bye employee..
bye bye bad soil…
hello productivity…
dont get so excited. only the asian staff get sacked, the mat salleh will not be affected
After got $17m grant from British government, it’s time to lay off 25% of their workforce.
That’s genius!! Now Lotus may asking more if the British want Lotus to keep all the workforce!!
I am failing to understand laying of so much of your workforce for a “strong, sustainable future”, maybe ‘a strong sustainable survival/existence’would probably be more accurate.
Following news from international sites, Lotus new CEO has says they will update both the Elies/Exige series(originally launched in 1995, and tweak since than) and the Evora(launch 2005). The plans also includes a SUV and a Sedan.
Personally, I believe Lotus, if they desire to move forward with its SUV/Sedan ambitions, should partner up with some other company. They do not have experience with high-performance and refined sedan or SUV (and neither does Proton, and no,Preve dosen’t count). Jaguar-Land Rover is currently the best candidate as they build rather refined sedans and SUV, Ford can be another. But weather its Malaysian owner is willing to let that happens is another thing. Proton is very tight with its budget with Lotus in the past, and I am not sure of DRB.
Who knows why they need to lay off 300 over people. We are not stakeholders, so we know not what is really going on inside Lotus. They’re also just hired a few big shots. Let’s just see where they go from here.
Lotus sold 505 units in the first financial quarter of 2014, as mentioned in the article. This is roughly 2000 units per financial year. 2000 units with 1.215 employees?
Lamborghini has 831 employees and sold 2.121 units in 2013.
yucks!! the interior!! urghhh its like my kancil >:( with that pricetags!!! no wonder their not competitive in the markets…
yes, yes. stick to your go fast sang kancil;-)
agree.lotus, please hire new interior designer.
Kudos..
Peylirno & bart dictionary. .
Untung, good sales = bad
Rugi, botolsusu lay off = good.
Next tg malim lay off.
Amekkau.
Maybe thy should concentrate on their engineering division for customer brands rather than manufacturing….
It has alot of potential but somehow no one can extract the best out of it…
Maybe like AMG or M division buys lotus n lets see the results! Drool!
since 2012. DRB talks about lotus clean up. lotus fixed. lotus in this and lotus in that. all bright in lotus. now they still in re structuring mode firing people just like that same they did to so many good people in proton. lotus needs to be run a passionate people not just some executives they pick up from other companies. lotus is heritage and low volume co. drb is a nightmare for Malaysia, proton and lotus. karma is getting them.
It is a bottomless pit. Lotus is just not selling enough cars, period. Ask them how many units they sold in 2013.
If you’re so damn good, why don’t you be the ceo? idiot.
Kiichiro Toyoda also did a coorporate restructring which around 1600 workers were laid off in early 50’s. Good thing is he resigned from his position as president of the company.
Ya… jangan setakat buang mat salleh je.. bos bos proton yang gaji besar besar pun kena buang jugak… demi masa depan proton yang kita sayangi..
Lotus should just close down
Same like Potong
Shortly before Danny Bahar’s resignation Proton guaranteed a GBP 240 million loan to Lotus purportedly for the development of five new models. It is the equivalent of one billion ringgit. So, what happened after the drawdown of the loan?
Roti fakar..
I think ur a sick man.
Not a comparable with ur kancil lah bro..
Roti fakar..
I think ur a sick man.
Not a comparable with ur kancil lah bro..
Ppl smart oredi..
They stop buying Lotus.. & plotong. .
Next lay off is plotong. . Then DRB..
Don’t forget lay off peylirno as well..
6 years selling butut in Japan..
1215 employees producing just 2000 cars annually.Is this a joke or myth?
Actually you need less than 500 staff,or even less to do the job.
Proton is pumping Billions of Rm into this bottomless pit called Lotus.Insider sources said most of the money just went to make suppliers fatter.
Coming back to Boleh Land,don’t you think DRB should start laying off a big chunk of unproductive staff at Tanjong Malim and Shah Alam since sales keep falling?
Wanna expand means they’ll need more manpower, yet now wanna lay off staffs? Typical myopic kroni-style management. Reduce expenses on salaries, higher profit, pay fat bonus among themselves, in the end nothing happen, Lotus still stuck with dinosaur tech nobody wanna buy, then incoming bailout, taxpayers rugi lagi.
Sacked the incompetent people at the top than those at the bottom or mid level, so typical of boleh companies, ceo still stays even though company bleeding non stop, all the small staffs kena….look at EPL football teams, the manager first tp be sacked andheld responsibls
Goreng goreng goreng.
Sotong sotong sotong
epic fail…let me manage better
Plotong & Lotus run by Rugi takpe mentality. .
Rugi tu biasa aje.. semua org pon rugi.
So lay off is a good idea too..
Since some jerks said rugi biasa.. untung = kapitalis
Sy ucapkan beribu-ribu tahniah for lay off.. Tg Malim is next.
Its history, they might just sell it to other manufacturer for $1 again..(and beg from behind the scene)
Such a good NEWS !!! Finally they did it. Damn good news for those blood sucker top management finally manage to find way to TOP UP their income by firing 300+ Sparta into broken family.
Bravo, well done !!!