Type
Offshoring/Delocalisation
Country
Belgium
Region
RĂ©gion Wallonne;
Location of affected unit(s)
Mont-Saint-Guibert (Province: Brabant Wallon)
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Chemicals And Pharamceuticals
Manufacture Of Basic Pharmaceutical Products And Pharmaceutical Preparations
21 - Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
New offshoring locations

330 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
28 June 2006
Employment effect (start)
1 September 2007
Foreseen end date

Description

The American pharmaceutical group Ely Lilly (based in Indianapolis) announced the closure of its plant in Mont-Saint-Guibert on Wednesday, 28 June 2006. The research and development centre in Belgium currently employs 330 people. The management explained that the planned closure is due to an overcapacity in R&D within the group and also to the global situation in the pharmaceutical industry, which is becoming more and more competitive. According to trade unions within the plant, the closure will become effective in 15-18 months time. Other closures expected within the group are the R&D plant in Hamburg, which employs 150 people, and the production plant at Basingstoke (UK) which employs 150 people. All these activities will be relocated to the company headquarters in the United States. Employees at the Mont-Saint-Guibert plant were surprised by this decision as the company is in good shape and achieved 14.6 billion dollars in sales turnover last year and profits of 1.9 billion dollars.


Sources

  • 29 June 2006: Le Soir

Citation

Eurofound (2006), Lilly, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Belgium, factsheet number 63702, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/63702.