DELL, 3COM FIRE 7,000 IN LATEST CUTS

Two tech companies led the deepening layoff parade yesterday – with Dell Computer axing 4,000.

Dell, the nation’s biggest maker of personal computers, blamed the slowing computer purchases, although it had a profit of 17 cents per share in the first quarter on revenue of $8 billion. Two months ago, Dell laid off 1,700.

Telcom firm 3Com Corp. announced 3,000 job cuts – on top of nearly 1,400 firings earlier this year. The company wants to save $1 billion a year to offset four quarters of losses.

Other cutbacks swept broadly across the other sectors. Recreational vehicle and house-trailer maker Coachman Industries is firing 100 due to a slowdown, after laying off 866 workers months earlier.

Convenience chain Dairy Mart is shutting 200 of its 547 stores and laying off approximately 500 people. At Inspire Insurance, a property and casualty underwriter, 131 people are being axed.

Amazon.com also scaled back its wireless phone orders department, eliminating up to 30. Portal Software is firing about 20 percent of its staff, or 150 people.

Small tech firms continue to be hardest hit. Frontline Communications slashed its payroll to 58 from 120 and is closing three of its five offices.