Mazda Lays Off 285 in North American Reorganization

Mazda Motor Corp. has laid off 285 North American workers and recalled its top Japanese officials in the U.S. and Canada as part of a previously announced reorganization.

The consolidation of five operating companies into two initially was expected to result in as many as 400 layoffs. All of the affected personnel were laid off on July 11, a spokesman said. About half the layoffs were at Mazda’s administrative and research and design operations in Irvine.

Under the reorganization, Mazda’s four U.S. companies became one, Mazda Motor America Inc., headquartered in Irvine, while Mazda Canada remains independent. Instead of reporting to Mazda Motor Corp. in Japan, the U.S. and Canadian companies will report to Mazda North American Operations, also in Irvine.

The reorganization, announced in May, originally was to have seen Mazda Motor America President Yogi “George” Toyama and Mazda Canada President Tsuneyuki Sudo reassigned as executive vice presidents of the new North American operations umbrella company under former Ford executive Richard N. Beattie.

But Mazda apparently decided that since all other vice presidents would report directly to Beattie, there was no need to keep Toyama and Sudo.

A spokesman said that Toyama will not be replaced and that Sudo will be replaced by Mike Benchimol, vice president of Mazda North American Operations and Mazda Canada.

Sudo will be assigned to Mazda’s Thailand operations in August while Toyama will return to Japan as president of a Mazda affiliate, the company said.