BLOOMINGTON — Pharmaceutical company Catalent, Inc., one of the largest employers in Bloomington, plans to lay off roughly 400 employees at its location there.
A spokesperson for the company confirms a letter was sent to employees stating they will be notified by Friday of their employment status.
Of those impacted, about 60 are temporary workers.
"We will offer severance and job transition support to all impacted employees and will seek to deploy as many as possible to other open roles in the network. Bloomington remains an important part of Catalent's global network and long-term growth strategy," the spokesperson wrote in an email to WRTV.
Catalent, based out of New Jersey, employs more than 19,000 people, according to its website. The company hired thousands of employees over the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, it contributed to the production of vaccines and treatments against the disease.
In 2017, Catalent acquired Cook Group for $950 million.
Its Bloomington location specializes in clinical and commercial biomanufacturing and drug product fill/finish and packaging, according to the company's website.
"To meet the needs of the pandemic, we added personnel to the facility at an extraordinary rate to ensure that we could meet our commitments, but now the size and structure of our organization needs to match current demands in order to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"they did a great job in 2020 and 2021 ramping up vaccine production and people have gotten more efficient. so if the volume is no longer there to support it, it's kinda hard to justify keeping so many people on the payroll"
George Telthorst with the IU Kelly School of Business says the Bloomington area is home to several life sciences and bio-medical companies that are in need of qualified candidates.
"There are four other significant firms in the area, and I think they're going to be wanted to hire experienced people who are let go from Catalent," Telthorst said. "So I feel that people here are going to be able to find jobs pretty readily."
In a statement shared on Facebook, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton says he is sad to hear of the layoffs so close to the holiday.
-
Seniors consider trading life in the suburbs for a slice of Downtown Indy
A recent Downtown Indy Alliance report shows the current population is around 30,000, more than double the number just 10 years ago.
Bloomington hopes small lots in new neighborhood can counter housing crisis
The future Hopewell neighborhood is Bloomington's largest housing development plan. The city hopes to keep Hopewell affordable by thinking small.
How Purdue's 'Asthma Herd' horses could breathe new life into asthma research
What comes to mind when you think about asthma? For Dr. Laurent Couetil, horses are top of mind. His focus is to learn more about asthma in horses - what causes it and how to treat it.
Residents shaken after gunfire damages homes and cars in Fishers' neighborhood
Homes and cars were damaged by gunfire early Sunday morning in Sunblest, one of Fishers' largest subdivisions, leaving longtime residents concerned about safety in their typically quiet neighborhood.
