The Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry is expected to close a total of 38 sites across North America during 2011, resulting in a loss of nearly 5,000 jobs, according to an Industrial Info Resources report. Thirty plants already are closed, and eight more are scheduled to end operations by the end of December.
This figure is still less than the 65 pharmaceutical-biotech plant and research center closures in 2010. Along with the site closings last year, almost 13,000 jobs were lost, according to Industrial Info.
While the site closings are all over North America, Industrial Info says the Northeast region of the United States will see the greatest loss with the close of eight locations by year”s end, resulting in nearly 1,400 job losses. Those shutdowns include the June closure of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s location in Annandale, NJ, and the planned shuttering of Contract Pharmaceuticals Limited’s manufacturing plant in Buffalo, NY, by the end of the year.
The Mid-Atlantic region will see seven site losses, most notably Shire’s location in Owings Mills, Md, the plant that once produced four of the company”s top-selling drugs, including Adderall XR, and employed 260 people at its height, Industrial Info reports. All production at that plant was outsourced to DSM Pharmaceutical Product”s site in Greenville, NC.
In addition to employing thousands, Industrial Info reports almost $200 million in reported project spending can be attributed to the 38 locations.
To read the full Industrial Info report, click here (registration required).
