Fiat unit Iveco to send home 1,200 staff

MILAN, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Italian truck maker Iveco will temporarily lay off about 1,200 workers next month as the global slowdown in the automotive sector deepens, a spokesman for the Fiat SpA (FIA.MI) unit said on Tuesday.

Iveco will send home administrative and commercial staff from Feb. 9 to 22, he said.

Iveco started a programme of shutdowns at plants in Italy and Spain in December and January.

Sweden's Volvo AB (VOLVb.ST), the world's second-biggest truck maker, said earlier on Tuesday it is laying off 1,620 workers at its Swedish operations as it tries to adjust to weaker market demand.

Fiat, Europe's six-biggest car maker by unit sales, said last week it was sending home about 1,800 of its own administrative and commercial staff at its key car division for up to two weeks in February.

(Reporting by Gilles Castonguay; writing by Ian Simpson; editing by John Stonestreet)