26 February 2013
Diamond Aircraft has effectively suspended its North American manufacturing operations and halted work on the D-Jet personal jet as the company restructures its London, Ontario, Canada operations.
In a brief statement on 25 February, Diamond Canada CEO Peter Maurer said the company will reorganise. The company will be laying off ‘the majority’ of its Canadian workforce. It also said that it was suspending the D-Jet program ‘pending the securing of additional funding.’
It remains to be seen whether the production of the D-Jet will be resumed.
Maurer said, ‘We want to hire back as many employees as possible, as quickly as possible, but the exact number and timing will be determined as we develop our restructuring plans in the coming weeks.’
According to the press release, the decision to suspend production was influenced by ‘continuing low piston aircraft sales, especially in the North American market,’ as well as the ‘significant burden of its cost intensive D-JET development program.’
The company would retain a core group of employees to fulfill purchase orders and provide continuing airworthiness and technical support.
Austrian-based Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH is independent from the North American company.
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