The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Manufacturing Manufacture Of Chemicals And Pharamceuticals Manufacture Of Basic Pharmaceutical Products And Pharmaceutical Preparations 21 - Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
400 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
17 November 2010
Employment effect (start)
1 April 2011
Foreseen end date
31 December 2013
Description
On 17 November 2010, Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche announced plan to close its plant in the Styrian capital Graz, thus all 400 employees will lose their jobs by the end of 2013.
The closure of Graz plant is part of the company's worldwide restructuring programme 'Operational Excellence', whereby some 4,800 jobs will be made redundant overall (see case 16343). The development and production of diagnostics, which has been concentrated in the Graz plant, will be relocated to the Swiss town of Rotkreuz, where the headquarters of Roche's business line 'Professional Diagnostics' is located. Roche Diagnostics had been an important part of the Styrian human technology cluster. The first dismissals are scheduled to take place in the second quarter of 2011 at the earliest. By the end of 2013, the plant will be shut down.
The company's spokesperson in Graz showed surprise at the unexpected announcement and promised to try to find fair solutions for the affected workers which might include social plans. The regional Chamber of Labour harshly criticised the company's announcement, and plans to examine whether the pharmaceutical company will have to repay funds it has so far received.
Sources
17 November 2010: Die Presse
17 November 2010: Der Standard
18 November 2010: Wirtschaftsblatt
17 November 2010: Kleine Zeitung
Citation
Eurofound (2010), Roche, Internal restructuring in Austria, factsheet number 71208, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/71208.
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