Pfizer to shed 400 UK jobs and sell off Morpeth plant

US-owned drugs giant Pfizer, the manufacturer of Viagra, is to make 400 job cuts at one UK plant and sell off another another operation, on completion of a global review of its operations.

The announcement of the cutbacks follows a review of the pharmaceutical and veterinary drug giant's business worldwide on the acquisition of Pharmacia in 2003.

The two locations in the UK have been identified in the review as having surplus capacity. Over the next few years, Sandwich in Kent is to shed 400 jobs, though Pfizer has said that the firm's research and development activities and some specialist production facilities would be retained at the plant. The former Pharmacia plant in Morpeth, Northumberland, which employs over 550 people, is to be put on the market. This distribution and manufacturing plant, which was formerly set up by Searle, supplies pharmaceuticals to more than 100 markets around the world.

Pfizer said that while a buyer is sought the Morpeth operation would continue operating as a going concern within the group.

Phizer have around 96 facilities around the world and employ 120,000 worldwide.

(SP)