Novartis plant to stay open until end of 2022
EXTENSION ANNOUNCED TO MORE THAN 200 STAFF
GRIMSBY’S Novartis plant is to remain open for a further year, after a second stay of execution was confirmed.
More than 200 jobs have been safeguarded until the end of 2022, with plans for the pharmaceutical giant to leave put on hold again. A bombshell announcement in September 2018 originally scheduled the South Humber Bank site to close at the end of 2020.
That was put back 12 months for the majority of staff last May when one of three drug-producing units, Building 110, was closed, with the remainder - Buildings 120 and 150 - extended to the end of 2021.
A further 12 months have now been added, with staff told today, providing a significant short-term boost to the economy.
Ian Johnson, managing director, said: “We will extend the manufacturing of two products at Novartis Grimsby until quarter four 2022. “We were due to exit the site at the end of 2020 as part of a global transformation to our manufacturing network.
“Last May we announced some manufacturing would continue until the end of 2021, largely due to increasing demand for two products.
“Due to continued increases, manufacturing will now continue to quarter four 2022. The Grimsby site will remain operational during 2022. These changes mean the majority of roles will be required longer.” Last year saw around 100 employees leave the Moody Lane site, where continuous operations have spanned 70 years.
A total of 212 now remain on site. Following a town hall meeting, talks with elected staff consultation bodies will be held, to support employees in adjusting to the new timelines. And it was stressed it was an extension, not a change of heart on the decision that was a hammer blow from the Swiss-headquartered high-value employer that pumped £23 million in salaries alone into the local economy.
“The decision to exit the Grimsby site remains, the only change is the timeline that has been revised,” Mr Johnson said, praising the professionalism and dedication of the
teams. “We have no plans for any other manufacturing apart from these two products.”
He said the focus remains continuity of supply of medicines in the UK and globally, with revised timelines being shared with interested parties involved in the site sale.
It is hoped employment can be retained on the 229-acre site, where investment has continued through the decades.