WILMINGTON, Del. -- DuPont will reduce its global employee work force, excluding Invista, by 6%, or 3,500 positions, as part of its $900 million cost improvement program announced on Dec. 1, 2003. In addition, the company is reducing 450 contractor positions.During the period Dec. 1, 2003, to Dec. 31, 2004, the company expects to eliminate about 3,000 positions through severance programs and about 500 positions through normal attrition. The impact will be primarily in North America and Western Europe. The work force reductions are among actions DuPont is taking to achieve a $900 million annualized cost improvement in 2005. The company said it is on track to realize that objective through fixed and variable cost reductions, as well as variable margin improvements."These are difficult but necessary decisions as we align our resources with market needs and adjust the size of our infrastructure following the anticipated separation of Invista," says Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O. Holliday Jr. "These actions will help assure the near- and long-term competitiveness of our businesses worldwide as well as progress toward our mission of sustainable growth."The company is on target to improve its cost structure by $900 million in 2005, with about $450 million of that amount to be achieved in 2004, Holliday says. Some of these savings will fund capability building in growth markets; some will offset residual costs from the separation of Invista and other expected fixed cost increases; and some will directly improve earnings.It is expected that the company will take a one-time second quarter charge of approximately 17 to 19 cents per share as a result of the restructuring actions, largely for employee severance costs. The amount of restructuring charges will be finalized during the second quarter.DuPont, founded in 1802, is a science company that operates in more than 70 countries. "