Engineer starts 90-day consultation on a new round of cost cuts

Engineer Buro Happold has initiated a further round of job cuts to cope with a fall in workload of up to 20% by August.

The firm said it would begin a 90 day consultation with its UK staff from the middle of this month following the “considerable worsening of the global economy”.

A spokeswoman confirmed all the 1,000 staff that work in the UK had today been put on notice their jobs might be at risk. However, the firm said it was determined to retain staff where possible and had cut overheads and discretionary spend where possible.

Managing director Gavin Thompson said: ”Our current forecast shows that the growth we experienced last year could potentially be reversed during the course of this year.

“Whilst none of us would choose to be in this position we must take carefully considered actions that will stand the practice in good stead for the future.”

In January, it emerged Buro Happold had axed 10% of its 2,000-strong global workforce.