GlaxoSmithKline is intending to close the tablet packaging section of its operations at the firm’s Boronia site in Melbourne, Australia as part of “a business transformation”.
The drugs giant estimates that 120 jobs will be lost and notes that any redundancy will not come into effect immediately “as the process will take some time to account for regulatory requirements of affected markets”. The Boronia facility is best-known for Rotacaps, a device for respiratory medicines that the company is investing in to support patients in emerging markets, and Blow Fill Seal, “a high-quality container for sterile liquid medicines”.
Troy Webb, Boronia site director said that “despite continuing challenges in the operating environment in Australia, our vision is to be the GSK centre of excellence worldwide for supplying low-cost unit-dose, blow-fill seal and dry powder inhalation medicines”. He added that “we will support our impacted employees throughout the process [and] while this will be difficult, we must focus on our strengths”.
Mr Webb concluded by saying that “we have a strong capability in higher technology manufacturing and will build this side of the business”. The Boronia site currently employees 363 people.
