80 Workers Laid Off by Western Digital

Western Digital Corp. said Thursday it has laid off 80 employees in its money-losing microcomputer products division as part of an effort to make the division profitable.

The company cut 60 positions at its Irvine headquarters and 20 at a plant in Mountain View, said Brenda Bennett, a company spokeswoman.

The cuts leave Western Digital with 6,600 employees worldwide, including 900 in Orange County. Bennett said the affected workers will receive severance pay and outplacement services.

Western Digital reported a profit in its most recent quarter, but its microcomputer products division has consistently lost money. The division, which designs and sells chips that control a computer’s internal functions, accounts for 15% of the company’s sales.