Wyeth warns it may cut jobs at Sanford plant this fall
Layoffs may be coming at the massive Wyeth vaccine manufacturing plant that employs some 1,200 people.
While no final decisions have been made, Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) is talking with employees about the possibility of cutbacks.
“Wyeth can confirm that there have been discussions with Sanford employees about the possibility of a work force reduction in the fourth quarter of this year,” Wyeth spokesman Douglas Petkus told WRAL.com on Tuesday.
“No final decision has been made, and no specific details about a date or numbers of employees affected have been determined,” he added.
Wyeth utilizes the 325,000-square-foot plant primarily to make components for its pediatric vaccine Prevnar.
If cuts are made, Petkus said the move would not be a surprise.
“We have been communicating for several months about industry and business challenges that could result in work force reductions in Sanford,” he said. “In our Sanford manufacturing facility, that means a continuing focus on quality and compliance and increased emphasis on more cost-efficient ways to produce our important products.”
Like other pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, which is cutting jobs at its production plant in Zebulon, Wyeth is facing increasing global competition.
“This response is part of an overall global strategy announced by Wyeth in January (and) designed to position the company for future growth and continued success,” Petkus explained. “This includes initiatives to improve operating efficiency and effectiveness.”
Wyeth has operated in Sanford for two decades.
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