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Some Hardware Makers See Modest Rebound After Staff Cuts, Sales Decline
Another year, another decline-but this time with a glimmer of hope.
That's the case for Orange County's largest computer hardware makers. The 25 companies on this week's Business Journal list-ranging from multinationals such as Japan's Toshiba Corp. to smaller players such as Santa Ana's 110 Magic Corp.-cut OC employment by 6% to 8,425 jobs this year.
This is the second consecutive year in which OC's computer industry lost jobs. 1 Some of OC's largest tech companies saw massive layoffs; others with sizable units here pulled out. Sales at all but eight companies declined.
The tech slowdown, which hit full stride a year ago, spared few. Though OC didn't bear as much of a blow as other regions in the country, the meek demand for tech products affected the computer memory, personal computer and storage industries here.
Some good news: the hardware industry contracted at a slower pace than last year's 16% decline. And many of OC's tech captains are predicting a rebound in sales and local employment in the next year.
This week's Business Journal list ranks locally based computer hardware makers and companies with operations here by county employment. The list includes makers of computers or ready-to-sell computer components.
The list includes some companies that don't actually make products in OC but have their regional headquarters here, such as No. 16 KDS USA, a South Korean maker of monitors, laptops and other products that has its U.S. arm in Garden Grove.
Not included are semiconductor makers such as Irvine-based Broadcom Corp. and Newport Beach-based Conexant Systems Inc., which appear on a separate list and faced their own set of challenges in the past year.
Nor does the list capture...