Santa Ana Facility Opened in 1967 : Diceon Electronics Closes Plant That Employed 100

Diceon Electronics Inc., feeling the effects of a computer industry slump, has closed a Santa Ana plant that employed 100 people.

The plant, which produced computer circuit boards, was shut June 23, Diceon Chief Financial Officer Peter S. Jonas said Friday.

Employees of the plant were notified 60 days in advance of last week’s closing, in compliance with a federal plant-closing law that went into effect earlier this year, Jonas said.

Jonas said a small number of workers at the Santa Ana facility were transferred to jobs at two other Diceon plants in Irvine. Those facilities employ about 600 people.

The Santa Ana plant was opened in 1987 in expectation of an expansion in Diceon’s business, Jonas said.

“We started (the plant) up but just never had the business to justify keeping it open,” Jonas said. “We’re keeping the plant moth-balled until business picks up.”

Irvine-based Diceon blamed the slumping computer industry for a recent $1.3-million loss for its second quarter ended April 1. The company’s revenue dipped 18% to $29.5 million during the quarter.

The plant closure was part of a company cost-cutting program intended to return Diceon to profitability in 1989, Jonas said.

Diceon is a major manufacturer of multilayer custom-circuit boards used by the computer and telecommunications industries.