INDUSTRY

Long-Time Innovator Focuses on Core Strengths: Today Silicon Graphics announced that it has revised its business plan to reduce operating costs in the face of a global recession, while continuing to address customer demands for its compute, visualization and data management solutions. The company has refined its focus and is restructuring to adjust to changing customer and financial market realities. As part of its restructuring, the company will reduce its workforce by approximately 225 positions, or roughly 15 percent. The reductions will include several executive and senior-level positions. "SGI has a long history of innovation, including reinventing itself over the years. Our strategy has been and remains the right one," said SGI CEO Robert "Bo" Ewald. "But the impact of the credit crisis and weakened global economy has caused SGI, along with our customers and other companies in our industry, to reduce expense levels to reflect the current business environment." "Today's difficult but necessary actions will help us retain some momentum and a stronger, sustainable business model," Ewald added. "With a fine-tuned business model, we will be leaner and more focused, and will continue to build on the company cornerstones that we established last year." Moving forward, the company intends to: -- Maintain its focus on delivering solutions that meet the evolving requirements of customers -- Adapt its business plan to today's economic reality -- Eliminate costs that are not aligned with the refined business plan -- Implement more efficient and streamlined international sales and service coverage via strong channel partnerships, as it has already done in Japan and Korea -- Continue investment in key technologies for the future including its next-generation server products, visualization software and the Industrial Strength Linux Environment.