Sony to slash 20,000 from global workforce
Sony, the world’s largest consumer electronics maker, is to axe as many as 20,000 jobs worldwide in line with restructuring plans.
The exact location and details of the job cuts have yet to be published, but it is expected the Japanese manufacturer will not shy away from plant closures.
Sony has a global workforce of 160,000.
It is rumoured that up to 2,000 jobs could go in Japan. Sony may close two of its domestic plants that produce cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs by the end of next year, with most jobs going in 2006.
With the market for flat-screen LCDs (liquid crystal displays) and plasma displays dominated by Sharp and Samsung, Sony is playing catch-up in this new sector.
Speculation grows that UK jobs could also form part of the restructuring plans. Sony employs 4,000 people in the UK, mainly at two manufacturing plants in South Wales.
There are seven Sony CRT plants worldwide, two each in Japan and the US, and one each in China, the UK and Singapore.
Further announcements are likely to be made on October 28.
