The American company Merck announced a global initiative aiming to focus on R&D as well as cutting back on trade costs.
The American company Merck announced a global initiative aiming to focus on R&D as well as cutting back on trade costs.
In the context of that plan, it will dismiss 20% of its global staff by the end of 2015 resulting in a total of 8,500 employees and USD2.5 billion savings according to what the company informed this week. See press release.
As part of this restructuring process, Merck will concentrate its energies on the most flourishing areas, such as diabetes, hospital lines, vaccines, and oncology.
The pharmaceutical company plans to consolidate its position on the 10 markets that generate most of its profits: The United States of America, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Great Britain, China, Brazil, Russia, and Korea.
In Argentina, MSD has approximately 600 employees. It has already undergone several dismissal processes in the country.
In 2010, it let go about 100 pharmaceutical sales representatives following the global acquisition of the laboratory Schering Plough. See article.
In the same year, the corporation sold its plant located in Lomas del Mirador—which used to be Schering Plough’s. The facility was bought by the French company Sanofi, which acquired the technical staff as well. See article.
Meanwhile, Merck abandoned completely its OTC business unit. After its number one, Rodrigo Correa—who was in charge of that division two years ago—, left the company, the laboratory did not allocate more resources to OTC products. Its only well-known brand in the country is Dr. Scholl’s.
Currently, its general manager is Carlos Annes and will be responsible for implementing this new restructuring process.
