Sony to close smartphone plant in Beijing 索尼中国手机制造工厂停产

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Sony Corp will stop making smartphones in China, the company said in a statement. As part of Sony's efforts to restructure its mobile business, the company will stop production at its Beijing smartphone plant, Beijing Sony Ericsson Putian Mobile Communication Co, at the end of March. The plant has offered its employees plans to terminate their contracts starting March 20, said the company.

Sony will continue to sell smartphones in the Chinese market and continue marketing activities, as well as provide comprehensive services and support for Chinese customers, the statement said. 

Security personnel stand outside a Sony smartphone plant as workers leave the compound in Beijing

Sony has five plants in China, including the Beijing one that is being closed. 

Globally, Sony has two smartphone plants, one in Beijing and the other in Thailand. There are no plans to shift production to the Thailand plant. Sony will continue making phones in the Thailand plant and continue outsourcing manufacturing, a Sony spokesperson told the Global Times on Thursday.

A man tries out the Sony PlayStation VR during CES 2017.

According to Sony's earnings report in 2018 from October to December, its sales revenue declined by 10 percent year-on-year. While its mobile communications unit lost 15.5 billion yen ($140.4 million) in the period, according to the report released in February.

索尼中国手机制造工厂停产！

4月1日，索尼在华发言人正式宣布：日前，公司宣布索尼移动旗下北京索爱普天移动通信有限公司（BMC）已于三月底停产。为此，BMC于3月20日起为员工提供双向解除劳动合同计划。

索尼方面表示，北京索爱普天移动通信有限公司（BMC）为合资公司，索尼移动占有51%的股份。索尼原本有两家手机制造工厂，一家是BMC，另一家是设在泰国的STT。BMC停产主要原因是产量逐年下降、开工不足，不存在向泰国进行生产转移的情况。今后，索尼将继续在泰国工厂制造智能手机设备，也会不断寻求最佳的生产解决方案，包括目前采用的ODM制造，以便能够灵活应对快速变化的智能手机市场形势。

索尼移动虽然停止了在BMC的生产活动，但将继续在中国市场销售智能手机设备并进行相关营销活动，并为在华顾客提供全面的服务支持。索尼集团还将全面利用电视、音视频、数码影像等品牌硬件业务的创新技术和业务平台，进一步提升Xperia智能手机的竞争力。

数据显示，在过去的四个季度里，索尼手机业务共亏损了1010亿日元(约合61.9亿人民币)。其主线产品Xperia系列智能手机在全球智能手机市场的份额仅占1%。对此，有知情人士透露，投资人数月来一直向索尼CEO吉田宪一郎施压，要求索尼放弃手机业务。吉田先前已强硬拒绝该要求，并表示，该部门对于发展5G相关创新研究而言十分重要。

由于智能手机销量持续下滑，索尼将大幅收缩智能手机业务规模，到2019财年末（2020年3月末）该业务部门现有的约4000名员工最多将裁掉一半。

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