Up to 130 jobs are to go at pharmaceutical plant Alkermes in Athlone, Co. Westmeath. It follows a review of operations at the plant after a number of products went off-patent.
Management will begin consultation with workers immediately on how the reduction in staff will come about. But it says some compulsory redundancies will be unavoidable. It says overall reduction is expected to take place over a 2-year period.
In a statement the company says "We regret the impact that these anticipated staff reductions may have on our employees in Athlone and the wider community. Favourable redundancy terms and outplacement services will be provided to affected employees and discussed as part of the consultation process".
It adds that the Athlone facility will continue to play "a strategic part" in Alkermes’ future business, and that significant investment is planned to be made at the site over the next number of years.
Headquartered in Dublin, the company currently employs 440 people between its corporate offices in Dublin and the facility in Athlone.
The company also has an R&D centre in Waltham, Massachusetts and manufacturing facilities in Gainesville, Georgia and Wilmington, Ohio.
