German science and technology company Merck is to close its operation in Co Wicklow by the end of 2028, with the loss of 100 jobs.
Staff at the Merck Life Science plant in Arklow were informed of the decision at a meeting this morning.
The facility manufactures ingredients for pharmaceutical products.
The site on the Vale Road in the town, which was acquired by Merck in 2015, employs around 100 people. The company said all will be impacted by the plant’s closure.
The company has a number of other operations across Ireland, including in Carrigtwohill in Co Cork and in Citywest in Co Dublin.
In a statement, Merck said that following “a strategic portfolio review of products at its Arklow, Ireland site, the decision has been made to discontinue the API [Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient] portfolio.”
“As a result of this decision, it is proposed to discontinue operations at the Arklow facility by the end of 2028,” it added.
The company said a consultation process with the workforce and trade union SIPTU “will commence immediately”.
It is understood the decision, which Merck said was not taken lightly, follows “careful consideration of various factors including market dynamics and customer needs.”
Merck Life Science, which is owned by German based science and technology company Merck, is not part of the US pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), which also has operations in Ireland.