3Com axes 41 staff in restructure

3Com/US Robotics' Cirencester branch has become the victim of a number of layoffs as ex-Sonix staff and its product line were chopped in the vendor's attempt to consolidate its global strategy.

Forty-one development and operation staff were given their marching orders, including Andrew Cotterell, head of operation, and Julian Summers, head of overall development. The ServiceConnect product, which was developed by Sonix before 3Com bought the company in June 1995 for $70 million, was also canned.

Sharon Studers, general manager of the office access division at 3Com, confirmed the redundancies. 'Sonix was run as a standalone division. It is a sensible time to line up with 3Com as a whole,' she said.

'ServiceConnnect was discontinued because it was locked into the UK.

It was not right commercially, and judging by customer feedback it was too expensive.'

Nick Morse, business development director for Europe at networking vendor ACC, said: 'I understand the product development was not what 3Com deemed suitable, but this has annoyed users.'

A source said: 'Sonix had nearly 50 per cent of the remote access market, but 3Com failed to cash in on this position. It wouldn't surprise me if it closed down the Cirencester branch'.

Studers denied the branch would be closed. 'We are consolidating the hardware piece and moving it to Boston. Product engineering will be dissolved.'