Job cuts to hit Hewlett Packard’s research labs

The Register : Hewlett Packard has confirmed that yesterday’s announcement of UK job cuts will not just hit its manufacturing plant in Scotland, but also HP’s research laboratories in Bristol .The firm will not detail exactly what is happening, but emails from HP staff sent to the Register suggest as many as half its Bristol research staff could be laid off."According to various sources and friends, HP has at a single stroke on Thursday HALVED their R&D people based in Bristol, UK on Thursday. 3 entire labs are to be axed. Approx 70 or so positions are to be eliminated - with completion towards the end of this year,” says one email.HP announced 5700 job cuts in Europe earlier this week .HP said: “HP Labs is streamlining its research portfolio to further sharpen its focus on creating a pipeline of high-impact innovation with a clear path to market that addresses the most important customer challenges. HP is committed to bringing breakthrough innovation to market quickly, and HP Labs will continue to play a significant role in this effort.”