Type
Closure
Country
Germany
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Eppelheim, Steinheim, Hohenbrunn, Berlin
Sector
Manufacturing
Manufacture Of Chemicals And Pharamceuticals
Manufacture Of Basic Pharmaceutical Products And Pharmaceutical Preparations
21 - Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations

200 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
12 July 2017
Employment effect (start)
12 July 2017
Foreseen end date
31 December 2022

Description

On 12 July 2017, the German chemical and pharmaceutical company Merck announced it will close four of its Life Science divisions in Germany by the end of 2022. The affected sites are Eppelheim, Steinheim (both Baden-Württemberg), Hohenbrunn (Bavaria) and Berlin. 

Currently, an estimated 640 employees work at the affected sites. They will be offered positions at other Merck sites. Expectations are that overall 200 jobs will be lost as a result of the closures.

At the same time, Merck will invest 90 million Euro in other Life Science divisions in Germany, Swiss and France.

The German Mining, Chemicals and Energy Industrial Union protests the decision and claims the economic figures of the affected sites are good.

As of July 2017, Merck employs about 51,000 staff members worldwide. An estimated 19,000 work at the Life Science division.


Sources

  • 12 July 2017: Merck press release
  • 13 July 2017: ffh.de

Citation

Eurofound (2017), Merck, Closure in Germany, factsheet number 91480, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91480.