Pfizers invest €100m in plant

Pfizer Ireland is to make a €100m investment at one of its key Cork plants over the next two years, but shed 25 full-time positions.

The money would be spent on creating a centre of excellence at a single active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) facility — it currently has two — at Little Island, Dr Terry Lambe, Pfizer’s manufacturing vice president for this country and Singapore told the Evening Echo.

The company expressed regret at the job losses, but said they would be on a voluntary basis.

Those opting to leave or whose jobs would otherwise be eliminated would be offered comprehensive outplacement assistance, he added.

The decision to combine its two active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) facilities in Little Island, would increase plant efficiencies and eliminate duplications.

The combination would result in the creation of a centre of excellence for containment products.

Their growth in recent years and the acquisition of additional manufacturing sites had created a degree of duplication between two adjoining plants.

“We regret the loss of these jobs, but the leaner structure being implemented at Little Island will greatly strengthen its strategic importance,” Dr Lambe said.

Products currently manufactured at these two facilities include Lipitor, Neurontin, Nicorette, Ellence and Estracyt.

Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals currently has 2,100 colleagues working in its seven facilities throughout the country.

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world’s best-known consumer brands.

Pfizer has three business segments: health care, animal health and consumer health care.

Its products are available in more than 150 countries.