When the 2013 model year hits, Volvo will introduce a whole new line of upgrades and refreshes. In order for these products to see the light of day, a select grouping of men and women were hired on to make sure things were done just right. With the main project complete, Volvo will soon let go the workforce who were hired on via temporary contracts. Approximately 300-400 consultancy people will be phased for the remainder of 2012.
The cut back isn’t necessarily a negative as both parties were well aware of the end date’s existence. With big projects such as these, Volvo will hire technical consultants for development work so that the workload can be easily spread. “By using highly skilled technical consultants in our engineering operations we have the flexibility to tailor the workforce to short-term needs in our car projects. This flexibility is vital to Volvo Car Corporation as a small car manufacturer,” said Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Volvo. Currently, the automaker has about 1,200 workers but by the end of this phase out, that number will shrink down to about 900 people.
Source: Volvo
