Sligo to suffer loss of 165 jobs as GlaxoSmithKline closes manufacturing plant

GlaxoSmithKline (PA)

Louise Kelly

Sligo is to suffer the loss of 165 jobs in the next three years as GlaxoSmithKline closes its manufacturing plant there.

The company told employees at Stiefel Laboratories of its proposal to phase down production at the skincare manufacturing site.

It is understood that the proposal is to decommission the site, which first opened in 1975, by the end of 2021.

In a statement today, GSK said that the site had delivered significant improvements in cost and efficiency.

"However, demand for the products made on site has not grown in line with previous expectations, due to the highly competitive market in which we operate, making our current business model unsustainable," it added.

"We have not made this proposal lightly. We thoroughly evaluated a number of alternatives for the Sligo site, none of them were considered feasible without significant further investment".

The company said that the their main priority at present is to support the highly skilled professionals working at the site through this period.

"We understand the impact of this proposal on our employees, their families, and the local region," the statement read.

GSK's manufacturing sites in Cork and Dungarvan, and commercial operations in Dublin are not understood to be affected by this proposal.