Aventis Pharma may cut 200 jobs as orders dry up

JOB LOSSES: More than 200 jobs are in jeopardy at Aventis Pharma in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

Workers at the pharmaceutical company will be told today whether their jobs will go, following a rationalisation review by the multinational.

The review stems from the merger of Rhône-Poulenc Rorer and Hoechst Marion Roussel to form Aventis Pharma in 1999.

The rationalisation plans, which are aimed at cutting production, will be announced to staff at the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh this morning.

The Nenagh plant could be closed, leading to the lay-off of staff.

Orders at the Nenagh plant are running out. Six weeks ago, the "liquids" part of the Nenagh plant, which produced the stomach drug Maalox, was moved to another European facility.

"The 'liquids' line was the backbone of the factory. It was moved out about six weeks ago," said a source at the factory.

"Even when the plant was quiet in the past, it could sustain as many as 40 jobs. But they are not doing 'liquids' there anymore."

Shifts were cancelled at the factory yesterday.

"Workers don't know what is going on. They are supposed to have a meeting tomorrow but the future looks bleak," a source at the factory confirmed.

"There are only a few orders left for workers to fulfil and there seems to be nothing in the pipeline for the foreseeable future. There seems only to be a week or two of work left at the plant.

"That is unusual because usually orders are placed for weeks, if not months, in advance," said the source.

A spokesperson for Aventis Pharma said the company was not prepared to make a statement until further information was available about the rationalisation strategy. The spokesperson added that any information would be conveyed first to the workers.

SIPTU, the union representing the majority of employees at the pharmaceutical company, said it was concerned that jobs were under threat at the Nenagh manufacturing plant.

"The suspense is unbearable for the workers. The sooner they know their fate, the better," said Mr Tom O'Driscoll, Nenagh branch secretary.

Aventis Pharma employs nearly 500 people throughout the State. The main Aventis Pharma office in the Republic is at Citywest in Dublin, with production facilities in Nenagh, where the company employs 230 people, and Waterford, where it has 160 employees.