Pharmaceutical company Schering-Plough has announced it plans to close its operation in Bray, Co Wicklow, by the middle of 2011.
The US-based company, which employs 240 people in Bray, says it does not expect redundancies within the next 12 months, but does plan to close in just over two years time.
Schering-Plough is a global leader in the production of veterinary products. Pat Kerr, general manager of Schering-Plough in Bray, said the decision was based on 'global over-capacity and is no reflection on the employees here in Bray'.
The firm also has plants in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, Brinny in Co Cork and the recently-acquired Organon facility in Swords, Co Dublin.
The firm employs over 1,000 in the three facilities and remains committed to them, according to Mr Kerr.
The firm announced a global efficiency and cost-reduction program in April 2008, which is expected to achieve annualised savings of $1.25 billion by the end of 2010 and $1.5 billion by 2012.
SIPTU has said that it wants a 'maximum emphasis on retraining' of the workers who are to be let go. The union represents over a third of the staff at the plant.
SIPTU Branch Organiser Kieron Connolly said: 'This is a high quality workforce, which needs to be brought back into the active employment as soon as possible.'
Mr Connolly also added that Wicklow has suffered 'a 100% increase in unemployment in the past year'.
He also said that he is confident a 'decent' redundancy package can be agreed with the company.
