GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced they plan to cut 720 jobs in its Belgian operation.
The decision was announced following a board meeting in Wavre. The company employs about 9,000 people at its three vaccine units in Belgium.
According to the statement, GSK said the eliminations would occur across R&D, manufacturing and quality service operations, as well as global support functions. Most of the terminations will be at the managerial level, the company said. A total of temporary contracts affecting 215 employees will likely not be renewed.
The company’s Wavre site is the largest pharmaceuticals factory in the world, employing approximately 7,000 people. The factory delivers more than two million doses of vaccine every day to 160 countries.
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The announcement about the job cuts came shortly after GSK announced its intentions to separate the company into two standalone entities. The “New GSK” will focus on pharmaceuticals and drug development, while the other will be aimed at consumer healthcare. The split of the company will take place over a two-year period.