Brightpoint cuts 275 to 325 jobs in Europe

Wireless device distributor Brightpoint Inc. said Monday it will cut 275 to 325 jobs as it reorganizes its European operations.

By the end of 2008, Brightpoint will cut 50 to 75 positions at its current European division headquarters in Denmark and trim 225 to 250 positions from its European division's operating entities.

Brightpoint expects these changes and other efforts to bring about $25 million to $30 million in annualized spending reductions.

Brightpoint will record material charges for these initiatives and plans to quantify them by July 31, at the latest.

The company is making other cost cuts in its Americas and Asia Pacific segments.

Brightpoint also lowered its global wireless unit sales expectation to relatively flat to slightly up sequentially, compared with a prior estimate of a 3 percent to 5 percent sequential increase.

Brightpoint also said Steen F. Pedersen plans to leave his position as president of the company's European operations, effective Nov. 19. The position is being eliminated, Brightpoint said.

Michael Koehn Milland, who currently serves as co-chief operating officer and president of international operations, will assume the role as president of Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Mark Howell, who serves as the company's co-chief operating officer and president of the Americas, will take the role of president of the Americas.

Bruce Thomlinson will become president of the company's Asia Pacific division. He was previously president of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.