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Oilfield environmental services firm Newalta Corp. of Calgary laid off 180 employees on Tuesday, about 15 per cent of its staff, as it completes the sale of its industrial division and contemplates a lengthy slowdown in activity due to low oil and gas prices.

“The current climate complicates things,” said president and chief executive John Barkhouse in an interview.

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“But certainly we always said that after the divestiture of the industrial division … that we would really have to refocus and re-look at Newalta as a pure energy services company. And, at that point, really look at our internal cost structure with a bend toward how do we become more efficient, more agile and quicker to react in the marketplace.”

The company plans to hold a town hall meeting with local staff in Calgary on Wednesday which will be recorded and distributed to its satellite locations throughout Canada and the United States.