Pfizer Sandwich plant closure

Yesterday the news broke that Pfizer are to shut down their R&D operation in Sandwich, Kent, which employs around 2,400 people. Around 2,000 of those jobs are expected to be made redundant.

The RSC sees this as a terrible blow to Kent and to the UK, as pharmaceuticals is central to the country's economy and one of its greatest success stories. We think the Government should do all it can to encourage pharmaceutical companies of all sizes to remain and grow in the UK.

One in five pounds in the UK economy is produced by the chemical sciences, and the pharma sector over past decade generated trade surplus reaching almost £7 billion in 2009.

The RSC made its views known in the media, with chief executive Dr Richard Pike being interviewed on the Today programme this morning. RSC President Professor David Phillips was then interviewed for ITV Kent and BBC South East television. The RSC was also quoted by the Press Association, the Daily Mail and the Financial Times this morning.

For those affected by Pfizer's announcement who would like counselling or careers guidance, the RSC Careers team is available to help. The Careers Advisor blog on MyRSC will have the latest information and advice.

If you'd like to express your views on the closure, or suggest what actions the RSC or the Government should be doing to mitigate its effects, then comment on our open discussion at MyRSC.

Links to the media coverage, the Careers service and MyRSC are in the Related Links section at the bottom of this news item.

Related Links

Daily Mail story on Pfizer Sandwich closure
_{Daily Mail quotes Richard Pike}

Finanical Times story on Pfizer Sandwich closure
_{FT quotes the RSC's job loss estimates}

Today programme interviews Richard Pike, David Willetts
_{Today programme interviews Richard Pike on the issue of Pfizer's Sandwich closure}