Sony said Tuesday it would cut 8,000 jobs in reaction to sluggish sales, particularly of its televisions and digital cameras. That number comprises regular workers and represents 4 percent of Sony's entire workforce. Sony also said it plans to reduce head count in its seasonal and temporary workforces.
The move is aimed at slashing $1.1 billion in operational and investment costs. Sony's investment in the electronics business will decrease by approximately 30 percent in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. That includes plans to cut investment expenditures this fiscal year by outsourcing part of the company's proposed increase in the manufacturing of CMOS image sensors for use in mobile phones to third parties.
According to Sony, certain short-term measures have already been taken, including adjusting production, lowering inventory levels and reducing operational expenses. But the appreciation of the yen means that the Japanese manufacturer will need to adjust product pricing, downsize and realign domestic and overseas manufacturing sites, reallocate its workforce and reduce head count.
Sony's moves will have global impact. For example, the company is postponing plans to invest in production expansion at the Nitra plant in Slovakia, which assembles LCD televisions for the European market. Further, the manufacturer plans to close two overseas manufacturing sites, including the Sony Dax Technology Center in France, which manufactures tape and other recording media. Overall, the total number of manufacturing sites will be reduced by roughly 10 percent, from the current total of 57, by March 31, 2010.
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