Management at the pharmaceutical company Novartis in Puurs (Antwerp Province) has started collective redundancies proceedings. Around 170 jobs are under threat. The announcement was made at an extraordinary meeting of the company’s Works’ Council on Wednesday. 1,160 people work at Novartis’ Puurs factory.
The Christian trade union ACV says that Novartis’ Puurs factory was long seen as being “exemplary” for reasons that included the presence of Alcon, a former subsidiary of the Swiss multi-national that was specialised in providing surgical packs for eye operations. Hospitals and doctors were able to choose what was in the packs according to their specific needs.
However, in 2019 Alcon spilt away from Novartis and is now quoted as an independent company on the stock market. The unions say that this hasn’t been a good thing for Novartis. In 2022 the company announced a global restructuring plan. Then just a few dozen jobs were lost at its sites in Flanders.
Investment plan
In a press statement Novartis announced that it plans to invest more than 40 million euro from this year in production capacity for biologicals at its Puurs plant. The investment aims to “Strengthen the competitive position of the site and to adapt to changing production needs”.
In addition to this, Novartis’ management wishes to make the company “more competitive”. As many as 192 jobs are under threat. 170 jobs, including temporary posts, will be lost either through redundancy of contracts not being renewed.
Around 1,750 people work for Novartis in Belgium. The company has 3 sites, a factory in Puurs, its Belgian HQ in Vilvoorde (Flemish Brabant) and a European relations office in Brussels.