TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Digital to Close Southwest, Mexico Plants: Digital Equipment Corp., in the midst of a deep downturn, said it will close two plants in Albuquerque, N.M., and Chihuahua, Mexico, and lay off more than 1,000 employees. The Albuquerque plant, with about 440 employees, performs assembly, testing and integration of computer systems, as well as order consolidation and shipping. The Chihuahua plant employs about 630 people doing assembly and testing of computer modules. The company said it will eliminate the jobs over the next six months. Last May it announced plans to cut 20,000 more workers from its staff of 80,000. The announcement comes after the Maynard, Mass.-based computer maker, the nation’s third-largest, racked up losses of more than $3 billion.