Upto 285
jobs are on the line at Nokia’s Salo plant as the handset manufacturer focuses production
on the high value smartphone market in Europe.
The move could
see 13% of the 2200 strong workforce culled at the Finnish plant. The 285 jobs under threat are mainly in production and support services at the plant.
In a
statement the company said the plant would be 'focused fully on the high value smartphone market, especially in Europe' resulting inn the introduction of new and highly
specialized manufacturing methods and 'changes to personnel at the
facility.’
Nokia said
it will look for alternative employment for those employees hit by the restructuring and look to make voluntary redundancies. Nokia
will also stop rotational temporary lay offs at the Sal plant by June this
year.
Juha
Putkiranta, senior vice president of markets at Nokia. ‘Salo is a crucial part
of Nokia's global manufacturing network. Plans involving changes to employees
are always painful, and they are set in motion only after thorough
consideration. However, with these plans our aim is to ensure the plant's
future competitiveness and its special role as one best suited to the production
of high value mobile devices.’