Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Millipore consolidates facilities, jobs

By Mass High Tech Staff

Millipore Corp., a provider of life sciences research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing products and services, is consolidating its operations through facility and job restructuring, according to Karen Hall, Millipore director of corporate communications.

The consolidation plan involves the closing of Millipore’s Lincoln Park, N.J., facility; proposals to shut down operations at the Consett and Cambridge, U.K. locations; and a notice of intent to close the Nodinge, Sweden facility. Work conducted at these facilities will be moved to Millipore’s operations in Cork, Ireland; Molsheim, France; and St. Charles, Mo., affecting up to 140 positions through job cuts, relocations and new hirings.

No jobs at Millipore’s Billerica headquarters will be affected, Hall said.

A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cites market conditions and a loss of revenue from the company’s Bioprocess division as reason for the restructuring. Hall cited an expected total cost burden of $25 million to $30 million for the consolidation, with a plan to save $10 million to $15 million annually following a planned completion at the end of 2009.

Millipore specializes in technologies, tools and services for bioscience research and biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies. The company employs 6,000 workers in 47 countries, and reported 2007 net income of $136 million on revenue of $1.5 billion.