Sony Ericsson closing four facilities, laying off 2,000 employees worldwide

[mikuman]

Sony Ericsson has yet to make this public, but we’ve learned that the flagging handset maker has caved once more to the pressures of the modern phone market place. If you’ll recall, 450 employees were nixed from the company’s payrolls in September of last year, and now the entire Research Triangle Park facility is being shuttered. In an internal announcement made this morning, SE is fixing to close four total sites: RTP in North Carolina, a smaller Miami facility and plants in Kista (Sweden) and Chennai. All told, 2,000 employees will be trimmed, with severance packages being offered to those who qualify. As of now, the departing individuals have yet to be chosen, with employees in RTP given the opportunity to apply for jobs elsewhere (likely in Atlanta or California). We’re told that the cuts will happen “in stages,” with project teams being assembled as we speak to work out the logistics. Frankly, we aren’t as shocked as we are saddened to hear the news — SE has refused to keep pace with the other handset makers, and its decision to wait until next year to ship an Android 1.6 device is indicative of the choices that have kept it in the shadows these past few years. Here’s hoping this restructuring effort actually gets things headed in the right direction.

Source: http://www.vespacious.com/sony-erics...worldwide.html

[wshwe]

SE is history everywhere except maybe Japan.

[stylewarriorbabe]

Just came on in my local news

ATLANTA (AP) - Cell phone giant Sony Ericsson is moving its North American headquarters from North Carolina to Atlanta as part of a global consolidation that will cut about 2,000 jobs.
Sony Ericsson spokeswoman Stacy Doster said Atlanta was chosen
in part because of its proximity to AT&T Inc., one of the company's
largest customers. She also said the city is desirable as a "gateway into Latin America'' because of its international connections through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
She said the 8-year-old company had about 420 jobs at the headquarters in Research Triangle Park after shedding hundreds of
jobs. She said she's uncertain how many of the employees would be
moving to Atlanta.
The restructuring is part of a company strategy to cut its worldwide staff of 10,000 by 20 percent.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/70374432.html

[bodeh6]

Yep I saw this. Bad times. Hopefully we will see a rebound in 2010 and 2011.

[mikuman]

I hope they find a solution to avoid this problem...

[itfstrire]

I accept with information: ATLANTA (AP) - Cell phone giant Sony Ericsson is moving its North American headquarters from North Carolina to Atlanta as part of a global consolidation that will cut about 2,000 jobs. Sony Ericsson spokeswoman Stacy Doster said Atlanta was chosen in part because of its proximity to AT&T Inc., one of the company's largest customers.

[mikuman]

Really bad news. is there any solution to avoid this big lost?