Mobile phone maker BenQ to slash 517 jobs in Germany

Mobile phone maker BenQ Mobile said it would cut 527 jobs in Germany, as part of restructuring efforts to streamline its production and improve its competitiveness in the industry, an Associated Press report said.

The report said the Taiwan-based company bought Siemens AG's mobile phone business in June 2005 in a deal that had the German company paying it 250 million euros ($317 million) to take over the division.

BenQ, which employed 3,100 workers in Germany, said 277 jobs would be cut at its Munich offices and contracts with 250 temporary workers would not be renewed, the report said.

Worldwide, BenQ employs some 8,000 workers.