Nokia will cut another 3,500 jobs

SHRINKING FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia will cut 3,500 jobs globally and close its plant in Romania by the end of this year.

Nokia's announced in April that it would slash 4,000 employees from its workforce in Denmark, the UK and Finland by the end of 2012.

Today's announcement will see the additional closure of Nokia's plant in Cluj, Romania by the end 2011. The company said it will move the operation to Asian factories to be closer to customers, affecting about 2,200 employees.

The handset maker will also "review the long-term role" of its factories at Salo in Finland, Komarom in Hungary and Reynosa in Mexico. The plans will affect another 1,300 employees from next year.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said in a statement, "We are seeing solid progress against our strategy, and with these planned changes we will emerge as a more dynamic, nimble and efficient challenger.

"We must take painful, yet necessary, steps to align our workforce and operations with our path forward."

Nokia will also transfer 2,800 R&D employees to Accenture in the early part of October in a move announced earlier this year. µ