SI: Sony Ericsson Moves North American HQ To Atlanta And Sheds 2,000 Jobs Worldwide

[Christopher]

Cellphone maker Sony Ericsson is moving its North American headquarters from North Carolina to Atlanta and close a half-dozen sites world-wide as part of a global consolidation that will cut about 2,000 jobs. The joint venture between Ericsson and Sony will consolidate product development operations by closing sites in Research Triangle Park; Seattle; Miami; San Diego; Kista, Sweden; and Chennai, India, spokeswoman Stacy Doster said.

The site closures are new elements of a plan announced in April to cut world-wide staff of 10,000 by 20%. About 400 jobs have been cut since then and about 1,600 remain to meet that goal by the middle of next year, the spokeswoman said.

The company has about 425 workers left in Research Triangle Park after shedding hundreds of jobs in the past year. She said she’s uncertain how many of the employees would be moving to Atlanta.

The company announced last month that its losses worsened to €164 million ($244 million) amid falling sales in the third quarter, up from a €25 million loss in the same period a year ago. Sales during the quarter dropped by more than 40%.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press

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