[B]URLINGTON — A spokeswoman for Dealer.com parent company Cox Automotive said Wednesday that the company will know by the end of the month whether planned layoffs will hit one of the Queen City’s largest employers.
“We don’t know the impact on specific locations, including Dealer.com, yet. We expect to know that by the end of this month. Unfortunately that’s all the information that is available right now,” said Alison Von Puschendorf, director of external communications for the Retail Solutions Group at Cox Automotive in an email.
Cox Automotive recently announced that it will layoff 950 people, or 3 percent of its workforce, across its many holdings, which include Dealer.com, Dealertrack, Autotrader and Kelly Blue Book, among others.
Dealer.com, headquartered on Pine Street, has close to 1,000 employees. It was bought by Dealertrack in 2014 for nearly $1 billion, and Dealertrack was purchased by Cox for more than $4 billion the following year.
“These changes, while difficult, will help us fuel more innovation, drive more growth and deliver the elegant, connected experience we’ve promised to our clients and the industry,” Von Puschendorf said in a statement.
“We do not take these decisions about job impacts lightly and will remain true to our values, treating everyone with dignity, fairness and respect throughout this process. We are committed to moving quickly to build a stronger and more agile organization that gives us the best chance to succeed well into the future,” the statement concludes.
Mayor Miro Weinberger said it’s concerning any time there is the potential for job losses in the city, but he’s confident Dealer.com will continue to be a strong presence in Burlington.
“I have met with the Dealer.com leadership and I’m reassured that the company remains committed to the Burlington office, which is the second largest office in all of Cox Automotive, and that the future outlook for its continued stability and eventual growth is optimistic,” Weinberger said in an emailed statement.
