TECHNOLOGY - July 19, 1996

National Semiconductor, Digital Announce Layoffs: Santa Clara, Calif.-based National Semiconductor Corp. said it will lay off about 160 employees in South Portland, Maine, and an additional 60 in West Jordan, Utah, because of the current drop in semiconductor demand. National Semiconductor said it will fill as many positions as possible in its new Maine wafer-fabrication plant with employees laid off in South Portland, but said the new plant uses more advanced technology, which will require a wide range of manufacturing skills. The company has 20,000 employees worldwide. Separately, Maynard, Mass.-based Digital Equipment Corp. said the head of its network-product business unit resigned to lead another company, and it fired 40 workers in its Internet software business. Larry Walker, vice president and general manager of the network-product business unit and a 15-year Digital Equipment veteran, will become chief executive of “an unnamed new company,” spokeswoman Melissa Morales said.