The number of Philips employees has fallen sharply in recent years. In the 1970s, about 400,000 people worldwide still worked for the electronics group, but since the late 1970s the number of employees has decreased to 77,000 now. Of these, 11,000 still work in the Netherlands.
On Monday morning, Philips announced the first reorganization under new CEO Roy Jakobs. Worldwide, 3000 jobs will disappear, of which 1100 in the Netherlands. And the same number in the next two years.
Medical devices
Of the hundreds of locations in the Netherlands in the peak years, there are now even more left. Most Philips employees in the Netherlands work in Best. More than 7500 people work there. This is where Philips makes medical devices, such as MRI scanners, and this is where the hardest blows are now falling.
In Drachten, more than 1600 people produce shavers and electric toothbrushes. More than 1600 people also work at the head office in Amsterdam.
In 1980, more than 40,000 people worked for Philips in the Eindhoven region. In 1997 there were only 21,600. After the latest reorganization, about 7000 of them will remain.
Totally changed
The company has completely changed and downsized since the 1970s and 1980s. Philips stopped producing televisions, the part that made lamps became an independent company: Signify. In 2021, Philips announced that it wants to focus on healthcare and said goodbye to household appliances.
Televisions, coffee makers, air fryers and vacuum cleaners are now made by foreign companies, but still get a sticker with the name Philips.
Homes and other businesses
Not one of the ten large Philips complexes in Eindhoven is now left. Houses have been built and other companies have established themselves on the most famous, Strijp S and Strijp R.
Of the fifteen Brabant branches outside Eindhoven, only the medical branch in Best is still in operation. Factories in Helmond, Roosendaal, Tilburg, Oss and Valkenswaard, among others, were closed.