Siemens Business Services (SBS), the IT consulting arm of German
electronics and engineering group Siemens, plans further cuts in
its workforce after cutting 2,000 jobs last year.
In response to a sharp decline in demand for IT consulting
services, SBS plans to terminate contracts with external
consultants and part-time employees, and will not replace employees
leaving the company, the spokesman said.
The spokesman declined to comment on whether the company plans to
axe full-time jobs.
Most of the cutbacks will be in Germany, the company's largest
market, the spokesman said, but the group's international
subsidiaries will be affected as well.
The present headcount at SBS is 34,000.
The IT subsidiary posted earnings before interest and taxes of €5m
(£3.4m) in the third quarter which ended 30 June, compared with €7m
in the same quarter the year before. Sales dipped 3% to €1.4bn
(£880m).
At the end of last year, Paul Stodden left Fujitsu Siemens
Computers to become group president of SBS.