GSK announces closure of Sligo, Ireland facilties
pharmafile | August 17, 2018 | News story | Medical Communications | GSK, GlaxoSmithKilne, Ireland, Sligo, closure, manfuacturing
British multinational GlaxoSmithKline has announced the closure of its manufacturing facilities in Sligo, Ireland.
The company is set to wind down production at its subsidiary, Stiefel Laboratories’ facilities over the next three years, with the final closure scheduled for 2021. The closure is set to precipitate the loss of 165 jobs in the coastal seaport of 20,000.
GSK said in a statement that “Demand for the products made on site has not grown in line with previous expectations, due to the highly competitive market in which we operate, making our current business model unsustainable.”
While the multi-billion pound pharma giant employs 1,500 workers across four locations in Ireland, the employment status of those working in Cork, Dungarvan and Dublin were said to have not been affected.
GSK’s Sligo plant has been in production for more than 40 years having first opened in 1975 with just ten people in its workforce. Having created 50 jobs just two years ago the plant is a dedicated supply site for GSK’s Stiefel skincare range. However the manufacturing plant has been threatened with closure twice in the past decade. In both cases the decision was reversed.
Heather Humphreys, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, commented: “This is very disappointing news for Sligo and the hard-working employees at the Glaxo-Smith-Kline operation there. The company has indicated that there will be no job losses this year, and the majority of workers will remain in employment until 2020.”
He continued in stating: “The Government will also be making every State support available to these workers. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is aware of the situation and we will be doing our utmost to help these workers transition and find new employment opportunities when the time comes.”
The announcement comes as GSK cut 1,000 staff in Chittagong, Bangladesh as CEO Emma Walmsley’s leads a major overhaul of the company.
Louis Goss
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