Cray Research Inc is to cut 382 jobs and lay off up to another 1,000 of its employees for two months as it upgrades some of its plants in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; the exercise will cost $8.5m against its fourth quarter figures. It is suspending some operations to install new processes to cut production time by more than half, to 16 weeks, for its hardware products. The new systems will be in place by the end of the year. The 300 full-time jobs to be cut at the parent company will be specified from November 7, after workers are given a week to volunteer to resign for the same severance package as will be provided for involuntary lay-offs.
