Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Report: Titleist golf ball maker Acushnet laying off 77 workers

By Rodney H. Brown

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Acushnet Co., the maker of Titleist golf balls and one of the largest patent holders in Massachusetts, is cutting staff levels because of a drop in demand for its golf products, according to a report.

The Fairhaven-based company will be laying off 77 employees at golf ball plants in North Dartmouth and New Bedford, the Standard Times of New Bedford reported. In addition, some cuts would happen at a distribution center in Fairhaven.

According to the paper, which quotes company spokesperson Mary Lou Bohn, the layoffs will take place over the next month.

The Titleist unit makes occasional, temporary adjustments to the size of its work force in response to changes in golf ball demand, Bohn said, according to the paper.

Acushnet in March sued Chicopee-based Callaway Golf Co. over Titleist golf ball patents. Acushnet stated in the suit that Callaway’s Tour i and Tour ix golf balls infringe on nine Acushnet patents covering multi-piece, solid core technology.

Callaway, for its part, is suing Acushnet over patents around the Titleist Pro V1 family it says infringes on its patents. Callaway was awarded a permanent restraining order in federal court in Nov. 2008 against the sale of Titleist Pro V1 golf balls made before Sept. 2008.