Pfizer Global Manufacturing is ceasing operations at eight manufacturing sites in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Ireland and reducing oeprations at six plants in the U.S., Ireland, Puerto Rico, Germany and the U.K. The operations decision will reduce the pharmaceutical's workforce by 6,000 employees and is the first phase of the company's earlier announced Plant Network Strategy.

The company said the planned reductions will increase manufacturing efficiency and lower costs by more effectively using resources and technology, improving plant processes, eliminating excess capacity, and better aligning production with market demand.

"The restructuring of our global plant network is critical to our efforts to remain competitive so that we can continue to meet patient needs and expand the access and affordability of our medicines," said Pfizer Global Manufacturing President Nat Ricciardi in a press release.

Pfizer, in a press statement, said the move is the culmination of an intense half-year evaluation of sites that manufacture aseptic (injectable), soliddose, and biotechnology medicines, as well as consumer healthcare products.

Pfizer plans to discontinue manufacturing operations over the next 18 months to five years at three solid-dose sites that manufacture tablets and capsules: Caguas in Puerto Rico; Loughbeg in Ireland; and Rouses Point, N.Y., in the United States. The company also plans to phase out pharmaceutical solid-dose manufacturing at Guayama, Puerto Rico, and that site will expand its Consumer Healthcare operations.

Two aseptic facilities that make sterile injectable medicines are targeted for exit: Dublin, Ireland; and Carolina, Puerto Rico. Reductions are planned at two other solid-dose facilities: Illertissen, Germany and Newbridge, Ireland.

Pfizer plans to exit operations in Shanbally, Ireland, as well as biotechnology manufacturing in Pearl River, N.Y., in the United States. Plants in Sanford, N.C., and Andover, Mass., in the United States and Havant, in the United Kingdom, also expect to see reductions.

Pfizer plans to cease production of consumer healthcare products at its plants in Richmond, Va., and Pearl River in the United States. The Pearl River site will remain Pfizer's Center of Excellence for Vaccine Research and Development, as previously announced.

Consumer Healthcare R&D also will continue in Richmond. In both Pearl River and in Richmond, R&D jobs will be unaffected by the planned manufacturing exits.

Pfizer's solid-dose network will include plants in Freiburg, Germany; Amboise, France; Vega Baja and Barceloneta, Puerto Rico; Ascoli, Italy; Newbridge, Ireland; and Illertissen, Germany. Plants in Puurs, Belgium; Perth, Australia; Catania, Italy; and Kalamazoo, Mich., in the United States will make up the aseptic network. The biotechnology network will consist of sites in Grange Castle, Ireland; Strangnas, Sweden; Algete (Madrid), Spain; Havant, United Kingdom; and Andover, Mass. and Sanford, N.C., in the United States.

The Consumer Healthcare network will include plants in Guayama, Puerto Rico; Montreal, Canada; Albany, Ga., in the United States; Aprilia, Italy; Hsinchu, Taiwan; and Suzhou, China. Evaluations of Pfizer's Animal Health manufacturing sites are presently underway. Recommendations are expected by the end of June.

Pfizer Global Manufacturing presently operates 78 plants internationally with a workforce of approximately 33,000.

Recommended Site Exits:

• Caguas, Puerto Rico (solid-dose)

• Carolina, Puerto Rico (aseptic)

• Dublin, Ireland (aseptic)

• Loughbeg, Ireland (solid-dose)

• Shanbally, Ireland (biotechnology)

• Rouses Point, N.Y. (solid-dose)

• Richmond, Virginia (consumer healthcare manufacturing targeted for exit; R&D operations to remain in Richmond)

• Pearl River, N.Y. (proposed exit of biotechnology and consumer healthcare manufacturing; vaccines and biotherapeutics vaccines R&D will remain active at this site)


Recommended Plant Reductions:

• Guayama, Puerto Rico (phase-out of pharmaceutical solid dose operations planned; volume increases in consumer healthcare)

• Newbridge, Ireland (solid-dose)

• Andover, Mass., U.S. (biotechnology)

• Sanford, N.C., U.S. (biotechnology)

• Havant, UK (biotechnology)

• Illertissen, Germany (solid-dose)