More than 500 ABX Air employees are getting laid off in the latest round of job losses announced Thursday.

The ABX workforce in Wilmington was down to about 2,700 employees prior to Thursday’s mass layoff impacting 518 workers companywide. In late May 2008 when DHL announced a drastic restructuring of its U.S. operations, there were about 7,000 ABX employees working at the Wilmington Air Park.

The last work day for the 518 people will vary, but all 518 jobs are expected to be eliminated by May 15, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice received by the City of Wilmington Mayor’s office.

Some of the workers affected by this latest cut may be hired by a newly formed affiliate company of ABX called Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services (AMES), said ABX spokeswoman Beth Huber. AMES will run its operations at the air park and is targeting a May startup.

Presently, AMES is “deep into the (job) interviewing process,” Huber said Thursday night.

Eighty-five senior aircraft technicians were hit by Thursday’s layoff. Fifty senior structures technicians also are impacted, as are 36 senior avionics technicians and 34 sorters.

Getting laid off too are 19 ramp loaders, 15 lead aircraft technicians, 14 storekeepers in maintenance, 12 lead structures technicians and 11 aircraft inspectors.

This set of layoffs also includes 10 leads in transportation, seven senior fuel technicians, six senior mechanical component technicians, six senior engine technicians, six lead avionics technicians and six Cushman drivers.

Also receiving their separation notices were 19 aircraft maintenance supervisors, 10 staff engineers, eight production coordinators, seven dispatchers and five maintenance controllers.