ORANGE COUNTY NOTES : Toshiba America Layoff to Affect 65 Irvine Employees

Toshiba America Information Systems, a manufacturer of copiers, fax machines, telephones, computer disk drives and laptop computers, said Wednesday that it will lay off about 5% of its work force due to increased competition and a slowdown in the U.S. economy. The company is a subsidiary of Toshiba Corp. in Tokyo.

Linda Bell, spokeswoman for Toshiba, said the layoff will affect 85 workers, including 65 in Irvine, where the company employs about 1,300. The cuts, which will take effect Feb. 1, will be companywide, affecting employees in professional, managerial and clerical positions in each of the subsidiary’s divisions.

Bob Wittenburg, a company spokesman, attributed the layoff to greater overall competition and the uncertainty in the U.S. economy as a result of the Persian Gulf War.

Last May, the company said it would hire as many as 3,000 more people by March, 1992, but those plans were based on continued demand for its products. Since then, the company has faced more and more competition in the laptop computer market.