By Martin Vedris
MELBOURNE: Pioneer Australia has had to let 19 employees go following the company’s decision in February to withdraw from the plasma TV market. The staff cutbacks affect all areas of the local business.
“In the wake of setting new fiscal goals and strategies for the business, Pioneer Electronics Australia has initiated structural changes, which has resulted in 19 employees being made redundant,” said Pioneer Australia managing director, Toshio Izumi.
“It is important that we are prepared for the exit from plasma which will occur around September. Without plasma we will become a smaller and more specialised company and we need to be sure our structure is suitable for that change,” said Izumi.
Pioneer confirmed that staff reductions have occurred the past few days in all areas of Pioneer’s business, and the structure of the sales and marketing group has evolved following a merger of the previously separate Home Electronics and Car Electronics groups. This new merged group will be managed by Chris Kotis.
Kotis, previously the company’s national sales manager, has been with Pioneer for over five years.