27 February 2008

MUNICH, Germnay – German conglomerate Siemens confirmed Tuesday that it plans to cut up to 6,800 jobs worldwide in connection with the planned sale of its telecoms segment SEN.

Some 2,000 jobs are expected to be axed in Germany and 2,000 in other countries as well as 3,000 as a result of outsourcing or partnership arrangements, the company said.

Some 1,700 of the German job losses are expected to hit the company’s Munich headquarters. Others could go at the SEN plant in the eastern city of Leipzig.

Reports last week spoke of 3,000 job cuts in the SEN division, which makes telephone systems for corporate clients and has a global workforce of 17,500.

Siemens is pushing forward with an overhaul of SEN in an attempt to make it more attractive to potential buyers.

The company said it planned to sell or outsource the Leipzig plant as well as factories at Thessaloniki in Greece and Curitiba in Brazil.

"In individual cases, closure cannot be ruled out," the company said.

[Copyright dpa 2008]