Virco to Cut 485 Jobs on Slumping Demand

Virco Manufacturing Corp., a Torrance manufacturer of furniture for schools, is cutting 485 jobs, or a quarter of its workforce, as weak orders for its products hurt sales.

The job cuts are voluntary, and workers will be offered six months’ pay as part of their severance packages, Virco said.

“We’re not closing operations and not curtailing any product lines,” said Robert Virtue, Virco’s chairman, president and chief executive. “We can’t control state budgets, which is the major source of funding for schools buying our products.”