Dyson to axe a third of its U.K. workforce as CEO Hanno Kirner warns the vacuum giant needs to be ‘prepared for the future’

Dyson informed workers on Tuesday and plans to maintain its research and development hub in the country, a person familiar with the announcement said, asking not to be identified because talks with employees are ongoing. The company has 3,500 employees in the UK and reported 14,000 globally as of the end of last year. 

“We have grown quickly and, like all companies, we review our global structures from time to time to ensure we are prepared for the future,” Chief Executive Officer Hanno Kirner, who started in the role earlier this year, said in a statement on Tuesday. “As such, we are proposing changes to our organization, which may result in redundancies.”

Dyson was founded in Malmesbury, England in 1991 by billionaire James Dyson, coming to prominence for its bagless vacuum cleaners. It has expanded into other household items such as air purifiers and hand driers in the last two decades.

More than half of the company’s sales now come from Asia Pacific and in recent years the company has expanded its manufacturing presence in countries including Singapore and the Philippines. Founder Dyson announced plans to move the company’s headquarters from the UK to Singapore in 2019.