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| Hundreds of job losses as drugs firm to close Grimsby site | Hundreds of job losses as drugs firm to close Grimsby site |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of jobs will be lost when a major employer in Grimsby closes its pharmaceutical factory as part of "global transformation". | Hundreds of jobs will be lost when a major employer in Grimsby closes its pharmaceutical factory as part of "global transformation". |
| Drugs firm Novartis employs about 400 people at the site off Moody Lane in the town but it is to close by 2020. | Drugs firm Novartis employs about 400 people at the site off Moody Lane in the town but it is to close by 2020. |
| The firm says the job losses are part of a major restructuring of operations. | The firm says the job losses are part of a major restructuring of operations. |
| Novartis said the move was "not linked to the UK decision to leave the European Union". No one was available for a union comment. | Novartis said the move was "not linked to the UK decision to leave the European Union". No one was available for a union comment. |
| In a statement the company said: "Novartis has been a part of the Grimsby community for many years so this has been a very difficult decision. | In a statement the company said: "Novartis has been a part of the Grimsby community for many years so this has been a very difficult decision. |
| "The Grimsby site is an effective, well-running operation that is testament to the hard-working and dedicated employees." | "The Grimsby site is an effective, well-running operation that is testament to the hard-working and dedicated employees." |
| Novartis currently employs about 1,500 people in the UK. | Novartis currently employs about 1,500 people in the UK. |
| Haseeb Ahmad, Novartis UK country president, said: "This decision has been made alongside broader changes to our business globally, and as a result of the changes in our product portfolio which now focuses on more specialised medicines, reflective of today's changing healthcare needs. | |
| "Novartis remains committed to the UK and believes that the UK is a world-leader in life sciences." | |
| The firm, which has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, said the Grimbsy closure would be phased until the end of 2020 and it would be consulting affected staff. | |
| Novartis added it was hoping to "secure a future for the site and was working to identify potential partners". |