Fears of job losses at Sony in Pencoed

There are concerns for workers at Sony's technology centre in Pencoed after the company announced it was cutting 10,000 jobs worldwide.

The Japanese company employs around 450 people at their plant near Bridgend. The cut equates to around six percent of its global workforce.

The site in Pencoed currently makes professional quality broadcast cameras. At its peak in the 1990s, the company employed around 5,000 people in Wales - a figure which has gradually decreased over the years.

Professor Brian Morgan, from Cardiff Metropolitan University, says that workers in the Bridgend site should take comfort from the fact their factory has already undergone considerable restructuring which has brought them in line with Sony's digital strategy.

New Sony Chief Executive and President, Kazuo Hirai, outlined his plan for the business in Tokyo, pledging to revive the company.

Earlier this week Sony forecast a record annual loss of £4bn, double its previous estimate.

His main aim is to turn around the company's TV business which has lost money for the past eight years.

A Sony UK spokesman said: "Sony Europe will respond to the challenges set by Tokyo in due course."