Norsk Hydro confirms 750 layoffs in global white-collar workforce

Norwegian aluminium giant Norsk Hydro announced it will eliminate 750 white-collar positions globally as part of a strategic cost-cutting initiative aimed at saving 1 billion Norwegian crowns annually (~USD 97.8 million), according to a company statement published on Thursday and reported by Reuters.

The workforce reductions will begin immediately. The first 600 positions are expected to be cut by the end of 2025, with a further 150 eliminated in 2026, potentially through enhanced efficiency measures, as per the statement.

Hydro also confirmed that the measures will extend beyond staffing to include reductions in travel and consultancy expenses, as part of the broader NOK 1 billion saving plan.

Affected roles include staff and support functions, engineering, IT, supply chain, and commercial positions across group functions, business areas, and global business services. The company emphasised that blue-collar workers—such as production, maintenance, and press operators—are not impacted by this workforce adjustment.

This move follows a hiring freeze instituted in June 2025, prompted by geopolitical unpredictability, trade disruptions, and economic volatility. The company also trimmed its 2025 capital expenditure forecast by 10%, reducing it from NOK 15 billion to NOK 13.5 billion.

CEO Eivind Kallevik said in the official announcement: “By taking this step now, rather than later, we strengthen Hydro’s resilience and position ourselves to compete and succeed in a world where geopolitical unpredictability accelerates volatility and creates new risks.”

This initiative is part of Hydro’s longer-term strategy to enhance flexibility and cost efficiency without undermining operations, particularly in light of ongoing trade pressures such as U.S. aluminium tariffs that are reshaping global dynamics.