AOL LLC, a Dulles-based
Internet services provider, laid off
about 1,300 workers across the country, most of them
call-center workers used to persuade members not to
cancel Internet service. The layoffs, primarily in Jacksonville, Fla., Ogden, Utah and Tucson, Ariz., reflect a shift
in the company’s revenue model, moving from a reliance
on subscriber fees to online advertising. (The Washington
Post)
Metro Machine Corp., a Norfolk
ship repair company, announced plans to close its Philadelphia
shipyard, citing a lack of work. Only a handful of
the 103 employees will transfer to Norfolk.
This marks the third Pennsylvania
facility Metro has closed since 2001. (The Virginian-Pilot)
WPI Inc., a Blacksburg-based
consultant on environment and energy issues, ceased
operations effective
May 31. WPI began in 1989 as the Waste Policy Institute,
a nonprofit affiliated with Virginia Tech, and incorporated
as a small business in 2004. (Press release)