Pfizer Plans to End Manufacturing at Sandwich, UK, Facility

Sandwich, UK (Sept. 11)-Pfizer (New York) plans to cease all remaining manufacturing operations at its facility in Sandwich, Kent, United Kingdom. The closure will result in the loss of approximately 420 jobs, phased over the next two years, according to a company release.

The move is part of Pfizer’s ongoing efforts to consolidate worldwide manufacturing operations to manage global capacity and demand more efficiently, as well as establish a smaller and more flexible cost base, specified the company in making the announcement.

The Sandwich facility manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for human and veterinary drugs. Also located at Sandwich are a bioprocess development group, which develops new processes for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals using living (biological) systems, and a process analytical support group, which develops technologies to improve process understanding and control within Pfizer’s plants.

A small API development function, comprising around 10–15 roles, will remain at Sandwich to support the development of regulatory starting materials. Site infrastructure services (e.g. provision of utilities and waste management) will also continue at Sandwich.

In January 2005, Pfizer announced a rationalization of manufacturing at Sandwich, which scaled down manufacturing activity at the site to API manufacture only.