Shipping giant to cut 4000 jobs

Dutch shipping giant TNT Express said Monday it would lay off 4,000 workers over three years in order to streamline operations and boost profits. The play is expected to cost $195 million, but it is expected to cut operating costs by $284.6 million by 2015, DutchNew.nl reported. The company, which currently has 75,000 employees worldwide, says their strategy involves divesting TNT's operations in Brazil and China and focusing on the European market, where the profit margin is more favorable. "Assuming a return to normal economic conditions in Europe ... (TNT) could see an adjusted operating income margin of around 8 percent and sales growth for the period around 2 percent," the company said in a statement. The restructuring announcement comes just a few months after the European Commission rejected TNT's plan to merge with UPS, saying the move would hurt customers by decreasing competition. In 2012, the company lost $104.7 million, DutchNew.nl said.