AROUND 250 UK staff at Google's Motorola Mobility arm, which has a site in Livingston, are facing an uncertain future as the company plans to shut nearly a third of its 94 global offices.
Around 4000 jobs are being cut around the world as Google, which paid £8billion for the company last year to help boost its Android mobile phone software, plans to return Motorola Mobility to profit.
Along with its one Scottish base, Motorola Mobility has further sites at Basingstoke and Swindon although no details have been provided over whether any of those facilities are facing closure.
A spokeswoman con-firmed sales and marketing and product engineering are done in the UK.
In a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Google said it was taking action as the business unit had lost money in 14 of the last 16 quarters.
Google said it expected to pay out $275 million (£175m) in severance costs by the end of the year as part of "generous" packages for affected employees.
It warned other charges related to the restructuring could also be significant.
It added: "While lower expenses are likely to lag the immediate negative impact to revenue, Google sees these actions as a key step for Motorola to achieve sustainable profitability."
Motorola Mobility is reported to be planning to exit unprofitable markets in Asia and India while also cutting back on production of low end devices to focus on the upper end of the market.
Research and development is expected to centre in Chicago, Sunnyvale in California plus Beijing in China.
Google is thought to have downsized middle management at Motorola Mobility by letting go 40% of its vice- presidents, but has hired a smaller number of more senior executives.
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