Sony revamps overseas units

Sony revamps overseas units

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's electronics giant Sony Corp. will reorganize overseas operations, starting with a consolidation of two Indonesian plants and relocation of U.S. computer production, a report said Saturday.

Sony will close a television plant in Indonesia by the end of this month and move some production lines there to a nearby audio product plant, Jiji Press said.

It also plans to move computer display panel production in California to Mexico in a bid to cut labor costs, the news agency said.

The California-based Sony Technology Center will focus on development and production of new products such as digital television sets, it said.

The moves are part of a plan to reduce the number of plants worldwide from 70 to 55 by March 2003, it said.

In March Sony announced a major business reshuffle in which it will take control of its lucrative PlayStation game maker affiliate.