Boeing Co announced on Friday that it will layoff nearly 4,500 workers at its commercial airplanes unit as part of a cost-cutting measure amid the weakening global economy.
Much of the major layoff will be in areas not directly related to airplane production, the company said in a statement.
"We are taking prudent actions to make sure Boeing remains well positioned in today's difficult economic environment," said Scott Carson, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Boeing said most of the newly announced job cuts are expected to occur in Washington State in the second quarter of 2009. The company currently employs over 76,400 people in the state, vast majority of them in the commercial airplanes unit.
Meanwhile, Boeing's commercial airplanes unit has also launched a programme to reduce overhead costs and discretionary spending.