Peter Strom, CEO of March Networks. (Darren Brown, OBJ)

March Networks (TSX:MN) has cut eight per cent of its global workforce on the eve of the release of financial results for the first quarter of its fiscal 2009 year.

Peter Wilenius, vice-president of investor relations, confirmed that the company had had a "small reduction" in its workforce of about 20 people, with the majority of the layoffs occurring at its Kanata operations.

The company employs roughly 180 people in Ottawa, with 260 staff in total across the globe.

"(The layoffs were) related to aligning our operating costs as communicated earlier, as we have the intent to be profitable this year," said Mr. Wilenius.

Shares of the company on the Toronto Stock Exchange lost 11 cents from its closing price on Tuesday evening, to $5 at 10:43 a.m.

In a separate announcement, the company announced that it had won a deal for its mobile video surveillance solutions to strengthen security in Las Vegas.

March Networks said the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) is using its technology on its para-transit and fixed-route buses that serve the greater Las Vegas Valley, including the Vegas Strip.

"We are pleased to add the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada to the growing list of leading transit operators that have selected March Networks's proven mobile video solutions to safeguard passengers and operations," said March Networks CEO Peter Strom in a statement. "This win highlights the strength of the company's solutions and our leadership position in the global transportation security market."

RTC has already deployed March Networks's mobile recorders on more than 190 of its 520 buses and para-transit vehicles. The solution includes the company's advanced system management platform which monitors the health status of vehicles and manages the automatic wireless download of videos recorded on the surveillance systems.