Business secretary Vince Cable announces establishment of local taskforce following US pharmaceutical company's decision
The factory which created the drug Viagra is to close, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs.
Pfizer is closing its research and development centre in Sandwich, Kent, where 2,400 people are employed.
The American pharmaceuticals company revealed the move in its US results filings at lunchtime today. It will leave the site over the next 18 months to two years, it said.
The majority of the staff will be made redundant, but "several hundred" may be transferred to other Pfizer sites or to external partners.
Pfizer has been on the site in Kent since the early 1950s, but closed its manufacturing operations there in 2007.
The company said in its results that it was cutting back its research and development activities, saving $1.5bn (�930m).
Business secretary Vince Cable said he did not believe the move was a reflection on the UK as a location for pharmaceutical research: "It is extremely disappointing that Pfizer has decided to end its research and development activity at its site in Sandwich. The company has been clear that this decision was part of its global programme of change."
Cable will establish a local taskforce with Kent county council to work with Pfizer and the new local enterprise partnership. He said "every possible effort" would be made to mitigate the impact of Pfizer's decision on local jobs and communities.
"We will also be meeting with Pfizer, other key companies and local representatives as a matter of urgency to discuss innovative ideas for continuing R&D activities in this very well-equipped facility, and how the key strands of the R&D portfolio based at Sandwich can best engage with academic teams across the UK who have the potential to drive forward the most innovative areas of UK bioscience," Cable said.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/01/pfizer-to-close-viagra-facility
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