Type
Internal restructuring
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Wales; East Wales; Flintshire and Wrexham
Location of affected unit(s)
Wrexham
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Chemicals And Pharamceuticals
Manufacture Of Basic Pharmaceutical Products And Pharmaceutical Preparations
21 - Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations

90 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
15 June 2007
Employment effect (start)
1 August 2007
Foreseen end date
1 March 2008

Description

90 jobs could go at a pharmaceuticals factory in Wrexham, it has been announced. Wockhardt UK, which employs 395 staff, has blamed the proposal on competition from rival manufacturers in Germany, Eastern Europe and Asia. About half of the threatened jobs, mainly in manufacturing, could go in August, and the rest in March 2008. However, the company said its sterile manufacturing operations were likely to grow over the next three years. The Indian firm now plans to hold talks with trade unions and workers' representatives on the proposals, which include the phased closure of tablet manufacture and packing departments, and the 'downsizing' of the liquids section. The company, which is on the Wrexham industrial estate, makes drugs, including natural insulins and herapin, for a variety of customers. The company said no final decision would be taken on the proposals until these consultations had taken place. A spokesperson added: 'While we regret the need to consider this action, various external factors have made it inevitable in order to maintain Wockhardt's UK operations as a strong and sustainable organisation in the long term.'

'We would like to emphasise that in no way does this action lessen our respect for and appreciation of the quality of our workforce.'

The company said around 300 staff would be safe from redundancy and employee numbers in its sterile facility had already increased from 64 to 90 in the last 15 months. It also said the company had invested 5.4million GBP in the previous four years to upgrade its manufacturing facilities.


Sources

  • 15 June 2007: BBC News

Citation

Eurofound (2007), Wockhardt, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 65497, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/65497.