Posted on 01/16/2010 1:54:52 PM PST by Gordon Pym
SHREWSBURY — Charles River Laboratories International Inc., which conducts research for drug developers, will suspend operations at its Shrewsbury facility and lay off 300 workers by mid-2010 because of weak demand for the company's preclinical services, Charles River reported yesterday.
The company, based in Wilmington, said it expects to retain about 30 workers who will handle ongoing operations at the plant or take jobs at other Charles River sites. Charles River said it expects the move will cut operating costs by about $20 million this year.
The company has no plans at this time to dispose of the plant, said David P. Johst, executive vice president of human resources.
“The notion is when the volume of work picks up and our customers are looking for us to do more, we would look to Shrewsbury as our obvious place for expansion,” Mr. Johst said.
Moria E. Miller, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, said yesterday that Charles River sent a letter to the board that the company had decided to ramp down all operations at the facility at 334 South St. Eventually all operations will cease, she said. “I think that this is very sad news that we received today. Our hearts go out to the employees. It's a reminder to all of us that we are still in a recession and that we're not out of the woods and we will continue to feel the repercussions of the economic downturn for many more months,” she said.
Town Manager Daniel J. Morgado said the town would evaluate whether the layoffs and suspension of operations at Charles River would nullify a 2006 tax agreement with the town. The deal, or tax-increment financing agreement, cut a portion of the company's taxes by 5 percent.
Charles River is the biggest taxpayer in Shrewsbury, based on 2009 figures, paying $388,000 in taxes on a facility valued at $40 million, according to Mr. Morgado. Charles River has also been the town's third-largest employer after United Parcel Service and the U.S. Postal Service. Mr. Morgado called the announcement from Charles River a surprise.
(BTW if anybody out there knows of anybody looking for an LATg with 12 years of tox experience let me know)
That sucks so bad.
We know about that. This never happened when I started. You can avoid this 100% of the time if you just look in the cage before putting it in the machine. (I figured that out on my first day) I blame the quality of high school graduates we are getting now (at least according to the trainees I've seen) They know everything about the evils of global warming or how wonderful Obomunism is for the oppressed but if you ask them to follow simple instructions or use common sense they are incapable of performing the task. Heaven forbid you ask them to do simple calculations without the need of batteries. BTW you must be in Harry Reid land.
I know some really good, professional people who work at the Reno site. One, in particular, trained me in some fairly specialized procedures but couldn't take the leftist craziness here anymore. but she only speaks English
It looks like Scott Brown will be the final nail in the Obamacare coffin so things may pick up in a couple years and maybe Harry could run the cagewash after a 6 month probationary period.
Is Spags still next to Lizers?
Actually Spags was sold to Building 19 a few years ago. It was the end of an era when the sign on rt9 came down. You have to admire a guy that used a hundred box trailers rather than building a warehouse because he didn't want to pay property tax on the new building.
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