Great Recession causes many manufacturers to cut white-collar jobs now, too

NEW YORK (AP) — Manufacturers have been using technology to cut blue-collar jobs for years. Now, they’re targeting their white-collar workers, too.

Factory Automation Systems makes machines that help companies cut, bundle and load products faster and cheaper than humans can. But it didn’t realize how much technology could help its own business until the Great Recession hit.

To save money, the Atlanta company cut nine workers doing administrative tasks, like booking flights, answering phones, managing employee benefits and ordering parts and supplies.

“I had to lay people off to surv...