Benq's German mobile subsidiary appears doomed

Happy New Year" rings hollow at Benq Mobile's German manufacturing sites following the receiver's failure to sell the operation as a going concern.

By Stephen Withers

Benq Mobile was born in October 2005 following Benq's acquisition of European technology giant Siemens' mobile phone division, but the parent company terminated financial support for its German subsidiary in September 2006 which shortly after appointed a receiver.

At that time Benq said mobile phone R&D and production would continue at its locations in Asia (Beijing, Suzhou, Shanghai and Taipei), and that the Benq-Siemens brand would be used globally.

2000 German staff staff have already been retrenched, and the last hope for the remaining 1000 is that a last-minute buyer will come forward before insolvency proceedings are completed.