Pfizer plans to close two of its three manufacturing plants in the UK during the next four years, which may affect as many as 370 jobs. Pfizer will retain a manufacturing site in south London.
 
The Park Royal site in London, which Pfizer gained from the Hospira acquisition in September, is set to close by May 2017, impacting 100 employees. The site fills vials, which are then sold to hospitals. Also, Pfizer’s global cold chain packaging and distribution site in Havant, which employs 270, will close by the end of 2020. The global packaging site will be consolidated in Puurs, Belgium, where the company says it has better production capabilities to support its product pipeline.
 
According to a company spokesman, “This review process has been going on since 2010 and the team felt there were more production capabilities at the site in Belgium to support future demand and to ensure we can support the supply chain. Consolidating operations at Puurs would help Pfizer leverage scale at the site, consolidate cold chain operations, and allow for greater network flexibility.
Park Royal is an aging facility which will require significant investment in the near future and the lease was up.”
 
“The UK has a tricky commercial environment and doesn’t always link life sciences investment to the way patients use medicines, but this decision is not linked to Brexit or medicines access,” a spokesman said.