Research Triangle Park, N.C. - SonyEricsson's North American headquarters here is one of several sites that the handset maker is closing around the world as part of a previously announced plan to cut costs and cut its 10,000-strong global staff by 20 percent.

The company will relocate the offices to Atlanta and combine them with the company's Latin America headquarters, which is currently in Miami, a spokesperson said.

A total of 425 people work out of Research Triangle Park.

SonyEricsson has posted losses for more than a year and in April announced plans to cut 2,000 employees. Also in April, SonyEricsson appointed a new North America president.