KOKOMO, Ind. -- Delphi plans to lay off about 600 of 3,200 salaried U.S. workers from its electronics and safety division, with most of the cuts in Kokomo, company officials said Monday.

The Troy, Mich.-based company blamed lower orders for electronic components stemming from drops in consumer demand for new vehicles and a shift in preferences toward smaller cars.

Jeff Owens, president of Delphi Electronics and Safety, said the cuts were considered carefully but were unavoidable in the current market climate.

"Consumer trends and market conditions have caused fundamental shifts in consumer preferences, impacting both the volume and mix of vehicles produced by our North American customers," Owens said.

Milton Beach, a spokesman for the auto supplier, said the job cuts are part of a plan to cut the division's total costs by 25 percent.

The bulk of the jobs are business- and engineering-related and based in Kokomo, Beach said.

Delphi has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since October 2005.