COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- Pratt & Whitney has cut 55 jobs at its jet engine and repair business, the Columbus Engine Center.
Jennifer Whitlow, spokeswoman for the East Hartford, Conn.-based aircraft engine company, told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer on Monday that the company "is actively engaged in several initiatives to improve productivity, streamline processes and reduce costs in order to remain competitive in the current environment."
The reductions in the Columbus Engine Center workforce are a result of a reduction in the volume of engine overhauls, she said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the company conducted a voluntary separation program for workers at least age 60 with 10 years of continuous service. It is restricting its hiring to what it considers critical positions, the statement said.
The Columbus Engine Center is one of three companies at its 770,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space in the west Georgia city.
A second division manufactures blades for Pratt engines. A third primarily makes jet engine compressor foils for Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of United Technologies.
