TUCSON, AZ (September 12, 0225) -- One of the nation’s largest remote translation providers is set to lay off 500 Arizona employees and close two Tucson offices, according to a state filing.
CyraCom International Inc., acquired in July by Kansas-based Propio Language Services, notified the Arizona Department of Economic Security on Sept. 4 that the cuts will affect more than 300 interpreters. The closures include the company’s corporate headquarters at 2650 E. Elvira Road, Suite 132, and a second Tucson facility at 2801 E. Elvira Road.
The WARN notice states that about 170 employees will be let go on Nov. 1, with the remaining workers—including interpreters, client services staff, and back-office operators—departing over a two-week period beginning Dec. 1. Employees are not unionized and do not have bumping rights.
CyraCom said the move is part of a broader “corporate restructuring.” Additional layoffs are planned in Houston (355 jobs) and Tampa, Florida (150 jobs).
Impact on Tucson’s Local Economy
The loss of two major office locations and hundreds of jobs is a significant blow to Tucson’s workforce, particularly in the health care and call-center-related sectors where CyraCom interpreters were heavily utilized. The layoffs will have a ripple effect across the community, impacting not only employees and their families but also the businesses and services that rely on CyraCom’s local presence.
Tucson has long marketed itself as a hub for bilingual and multilingual talent due to its border location and diverse population. The shutdown of CyraCom’s facilities—once among the city’s largest employers in language services—diminishes a niche employment base that supported health care providers, government agencies, and corporate clients across the country.
The cuts also come at a time when Tucson’s economy is working to diversify with expansions in defense, logistics, and tech. While Propio plans to integrate CyraCom’s operations into its AI-powered platform, the decision removes hundreds of stable call-center and interpreter jobs from Tucson’s employment landscape.
Broader Layoff Context
The cuts mark one of Arizona’s largest workforce reductions this year. Other major employers announcing layoffs in recent months include Southwest Key Programs (1,500 positions), Intel Corp. (nearly 800 positions), and LSG Sky Chefs (259 positions at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport).
Propio, based in Overland Park, Kansas, provides artificial intelligence translation services alongside human interpreters. The company said its July 3 acquisition of CyraCom would expand access to its AI-powered platform.
Founded in 1995, CyraCom grew into a leading provider of health care translation services, employing thousands of interpreters fluent in more than 250 languages. Propio, one of its biggest competitors, also serves clients in health care, education, legal, financial, and other sectors.