By Susan Smith, Staff ReporterTHE WEST Indies Home Contractors Limited (WIHCON) is tightening up its operations, says Roberto Clivio, its managing director.
Joseph M. Matalon, chairman and chief executive officer of the ICD Group and director of WIHCON, said the changes are intended to cut overhead expenditures.
"We are looking at probably about a 20 to 25 per cent cut in cost, which is necessary to bring the company back to a good operating condition," explained Mr. Matalon.
Mr. Clevio told Wednesday Business that about 12 positions were made redundant at the end of October and this will reduce WIHCON's staff complement by about 10 per cent. He said two processes were taking place in the company.
"We have just completed a project in Eltham and as is customary in the construction business when major projects have ended, those people are laid off," Mr. Clivio said. "Second, we have been restructuring and tightening up our resources and this includes a handful of redundancies nothing dramatic."
In the past three or four years, "We have been doing a very significant amount of business and that has started to taper off," Mr. Matalon said.
MANAGERS RESIGN
Some of its top managers, including Mr. Leslie Steele, a senior project manager in charge of the engineering department, resigned last month.
Peter Matalon, the director of business development, resigned at the end of October. His departure was preceded by that of two other members of the Matalon family, who also parted company with the massive construction enterprise.
"Mr. Steele wants to retire from the construction business," said Mr. Clivio. "Mr. Peter Matalon will be taking on other things."
Michael Matalon, senior project manager for the Eastern Division, and Charles Matalon, senior project manager for the Western Division, both resigned earlier this year.
As part of the restructuring, Peter Melhado was appointed president three months ago.
Joseph M. Matalon said the resignations implied no change in the ownership of the company.
WIHCON also has some major projects working on in the western end of the island, with others to be started in January. The company's Portmore office site, which is now closed, will be eventually transformed into a gated community of about 250 town houses and two bedroom houses. Mr. Clivio said this project is awaiting planning approval.
Construction in Kingston, school projects in Montego Bay and dredging of the Rio Cobre are other projects taking place, Wednesday Business was told. The first phase of the 'The Aviary' housing development has just ended and the company is now set to start the second phase.
