Type
Closure
Country
Sweden
Region
Sydsverige; Skåne län;
Location of affected unit(s)
Lund
Sector
Professional Services
Scientific, Architectural And Engineering Technical Activities
Scientific Research And Development
72 - Scientific research and development
European Globalisation Fund (EGF)
Year: 2011, Case number: 15

700 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
2 March 2010
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
31 December 2011

Description

On 2 March 2010, Pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca announced that it will close its research facilities in Lund and cut some 900 jobs, some of which are to be relocated to facilities in Mölndal (Gothenburg). The facilities in Lund are for R&D purposes only and consequently the 900 employees are white collar workers within respiratory and inflammatory research areas. The closure is part of a savings program, which is going to save $ 1 billion (€ 733 million) annually until 2014. The goal is to streamline operations by cutting around 1,800 R&D jobs from today's 12,000 worldwide (3,800 in Sweden). According to the company, the closure will be taken in steps with final closure at the end of 2011.

Update on 17 March 2010: Astra announced that 200 of the 900 employed in Lund will be relocated to facilities in Mölndal (Gothenburg). The remaining 700 jobs in Lund will, as announced earlier, be cut. 

The Swedish authorities have applied for aid from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).


Sources

  • 17 March 2010: Dagens Industri
  • 3 March 2010: Dagens Industri
  • 3 March 2010: Svenska Dagbladet (www.svd.se)

Citation

Eurofound (2010), Astra Zeneca, Closure in Sweden, factsheet number 70255, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/70255.