Strapped StarTronix Cuts 47 Jobs From Work Force of 82

StarTronix International Inc., a multilevel marketing company that sells home technology equipment, said it has laid off 47 employees to cut costs while searching for an infusion of funding.

The cuts affected nearly 60% of the Irvine-based company’s 82 employees. A company spokeswoman said that most of the layoff victims were customer service representatives and technical support workers.

“Capital funding which we have been expecting for some time has not been received,” said Greg Gilbert, chief executive of StarTronix. “We believe it is prudent to reduce our operating overhead.”

The company claims to have a network of 20,000 people selling its devices, hybrid machines that combine computers with telephones and Internet access. These independent salespeople collect commissions on sales of the devices, as well as a portion of the proceeds taken in by other salespeople they recruit.

StarTronix reported a loss of $4.7 million on sales of $1.3 million for the six-month period that ended Dec. 31. The company did not begin shipping its product until January, said spokeswoman Jenny Rex.