Technology firm Ruag International to cut more jobs

Ruag has numerous production sites across Switzerland, notably a plant at Emmen near Lucerne that produces elements for space rockets. Keystone/Urs Flüeler

The Swiss aerospace and armament company, Ruag, says it will shed up to 150 jobs by the end of next year due to the coronavirus crisis.

A 30% drop in sales of aircraft structures over the past seven months and the restructuring of the company are the main reason for the job cuts notably in IT, finance and human resources, according to a company statementExternal link published on Monday.

“Due to the high cost pressure caused by the corona crisis, the planned savings must be expanded and accelerated,” the statement said.

The company says it will take several years before the aviation industry will return to pre-crisis levels.

In February the company announced 90 job cuts in central Switzerland.

Ruag, formerly a state-run company, has numerous production sites in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the United States and Hungary.

In 2018, the Swiss government decided to unbundle the company into two separate entities by 2020: Units that continue to work for the Swiss Armed Forces and Ruag international with its internationally oriented business units.

Ruag is the latest Swiss-based company to announce major job cuts as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, notably General Electric, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and the International Committee of the Red Cross.