Tustin’s Silicon Systems Lays Off 90 Workers in 3 Plants Worldwide

Silicon Systems Inc., a semiconductor manufacturer, said Tuesday it laid off 90 employees worldwide due to a slowdown in orders because of the recession.

Mark Jorgensen, spokesman for the company, said it is reducing its work force because of reduced orders for chips used in varied computer products, such as computer disk drives, which store data.

“We had built a work force to accommodate a continued growth market about a year ago, and that did not come about,” he said. “We’re adjusting to the current market now.”

A consolidation of seven departments into two larger divisions also led to the layoffs, Jorgensen said.

The cuts represent about 5% of the 2,000-employee work force, Jorgensen said. The layoffs are spread among divisions in Tustin, Santa Cruz and Singapore.