Posted on 11/29/2005 8:47:12 AM PST by Born Conservative
Merck announced Tuesday it will sell its plant in Riverside as part of a world-wide restructuring plan.
Workers at the plant were told of the plan Tuesday morning. Company officials said Merck hopes to pull out of the Riverside plant, also known as the Cherokee plant, and sell the facility by 2008.
The announcement comes one day after the company said it will close five of its 31 plants and cut 7,000 jobs system wide.
"I understand the impact this announcement will have on your and your community and I can assure you that we are committed to doing everything we can to find a buyer that will maintain operations and keep as much of the workforce intact as possible," Larry Naldi, Vice President of U.S. Chemical Operations told workers. "I feel that this path forward has the greatest potential to maintain a strong manufacturing presence in the Danville/Riverside community and your management and I are committed to making this happen."
According to a news release, plant manager Justin Noll told workers the company hopes to attract a buyer that will capitalize on the infrastructure and the workforce already at the Cherokee plant.
Newswatch 16 is following this developing story and will have the latest on Newswatch 16 beginning at 5 p.m.
Job Cut Worries in Danville Area
Monday, November 28, 5:29 p.m.
By Rosa Yum
Drug Manufacturer Merck plans to cut 7,000 jobs by 2008 and close plants worldwide. There is no word yet on which plants will be affected but residents in the Danville area are now worried that one of their biggest employers could be leaving.
Residents said Merck's plant in Riverside was always known as a place where people could work two or three decades, but not anymore.
Many of the older workers have either resigned or retired and there have been some layoffs.
The latest news about more Merck jobs being cut is not good for the workers or residents.
Gib Spradlin moved to Danville 15 years ago.
"I think it's going to affect housing industry, it's going affect car sales, just every facet of the local economy will be affected," he said.
Across the river in Montour County, a Danville sub shop worker said the possibility of Merck closing is not good news.
"If Merck goes and it's going to affect everybody, even us because we get an awful lot of deliveries over there for our subs and stuff too. But it's going to hurt the economy really bad. Danville's going to be a ghost town really soon," said Ruth Kutz.
Mary Ditty, a former Merck employee for 24 years said it's not just the loss of jobs, but charity work too.
"Merck was always generous to the community, always encouraged the employees to be involved in the community like the Red Cross, schools, take part in the all the activities, very generous in their donations," Ditty said.
A Merck representative said the company won't be releasing any information about which plants will be affected. He added Merck will be notifying the affected sites in the next couple of days.
For now, residents can only weigh in their thoughts as they wait for the announcement.
"Merck has done a substantial amount of renovations and upgrading for new product lines and renovating what they have. They spent millions and millions of dollars there and it would be nice to see that be utilized in the next 10 to 15 years," said Spradlin.
Merck reprentative said there is no date set for the announcement on which plants will be affected by the lay offs and closings.
http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=4174150
Will this help reduce drug costs?
Not sure about that, but it will help them to pay off the Vioxx lawsuits.
no appeal of the verdicts, I bet if it was retried in that town they would win
Probably want to put Riverside (PA) in the title so people know where it is (I went to High School in Danville).
That's unfortunate, after TRW closed. Certainly seems to be a lot of small business turnover on Mill Street.
My Mom just died and we're going to be selling our house in Danville as my Dad doesn't want to live alone, probably doesn't help housing values..though the probable market for our house would be a Geisinger doctor with a big family.
Hillary and the trial lawyers will not stop until we get rid of all those nasty, greedy drug companies. Now that there are only a few of those horrible businesses left, the rich, nasty, greedy oil companies are next. On deck, the Pope and his opposition to homosexuality. Who does he think he is!
About 25% of US drug manufacturing is in Puerto Rico. I'd expect that percentage to increase.
Canadian drugs are unsafe. Puerto Rican drugs are safe?
Tens of millions of American citizens have been spared the deadly silent effects of high blood pressure, painful arthritis, asthma, severe bacterial infections, renal disease, and many other terrible diseases because of Merck research and products.
Everyone wants the Wonder Drug that will cure their horrible illness. They demand it! But pay for it?? Never.
Unless you have conducted the basic research, the clinical studies, and filed complex and demanding NDA's and ANDA's, you have NO idea what it takes to develop a miracle drug.
Allowing blood-sucking lawyers to ruin this fine company is an insult to every person who benefited from their research.
And now, fine people and good workers are going to suffer, towns will wither and die, hopes will be crushed so that the likes of John "Breck Girl" Edwards can create his Two Americas! Merck deserves better than that. America deserves better than that!
You are absolutely correct. The idea that we can have a perfect world or someone has to pay is what the libs sell. In the meantime, good companies are driven out of business while a few profit in the process. The "sale" of free anything by politicians and the gullibility of the American public - who believe that the three branches of government is the Republican, Dimocrap and Independent
"branches" of government - is a major concern for the successful future of America. Of course, they are some very influential groups who want the destruction of America as we know it.
When lawyers need surgery, I say we just give them ether. Let them puke up all over themselves when it's over.
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