One of the largest employers in the Triangle appears to be trimming its workforce.

According to its union's website, IBM is in the midst of enacting heavy layoffs.

IBM spokesman Doug Shelton refused interview requests, and said that he couldn't confirm numbers or locations.

He also said the layoffs are not because of the economy, and that many employees would be able to find jobs elsewhere within the IBM family.

Several IBM employees also refused to comment, saying they weren't allowed to talk to the media.

All around the Research Triangle Park, though, the IBM layoffs were Thursday's hottest topic of conversation that nobody wanted go on record with.

Randy's Pizza was churning out extra large pepperoni pies as usual, but today's lunch had some people wondering how many times they'd be coming back.

"IBM is probably my biggest customer," said co-owner David Kolenberg. 

The computer company employs some 11,000 people in the Triangle.

If the layoffs really are significant, Kolenberg said it could cost some of his employees their jobs, too.

"If we lose enough of a customer base, then my people know that it's inevitable," said Kolenberg.

Randy's Pizza is located smack in the middle of where several big companies that are dealing with layoffs are located: Nortel, Lenovo, Ericsson, and now IBM.

"It's a cycle. It'll go down and it'll come back up," said Kolenberg. "You just hope people don't suffer too long."

Even people working at other RTP businesses say they're waiting to see what the numbers end up being.

"I don't know that it affects us a great deal," said Blaine Syfert, who works at PBM Graphics. "But it definitely does affect the area."

Syfert says he's been through it before; his wife was laid off by IBM several years ago.