Tekelec Lays Off 50 in Restructuring Effort

In a move aimed at stemming its losses, Tekelec Inc. in Calabasas said it has undertaken a plan to cut overhead by $2.5 million quarterly. The restructuring, which will result in a fourth-quarter charge of about $5 million, included the layoff of about 50 workers Friday, or 15% of the company’s work force.

Tekelec, which supplies diagnostic, surveillance and switching systems for the communications industry, said the cost-reduction plan should enable the company to break even in the first quarter of 1994.

Besides the layoffs, which affected mostly administrative employees in Calabasas, Tekelec said it has cut discretionary expenditures and has written off certain technology and assets.

Tekelec, struggling with lower sales and gross margins affected by an unfavorable exchange rate, posted a $9.96-million net loss for the nine months ended Sept. 30, contrasted with a profit of $503,000 for the same period a year earlier.