Catalent laying off 130 at Bloomington operation
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Catalent Inc. will lay off another 130 positions at its Bloomington operation in a “difficult, but necessary, decision” that follows a major acquisition announcement and several rounds of layoffs since the pandemic.
The company told Inside INdiana Business on Thursday the eliminated roles include currently filled and open positions.
“As part of Catalent’s commitment to driving long-term sustainable growth, the company has been focusing on increasing efficiencies and reducing costs across our business,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
The New Jersey-based company announced in February that Novo Holdings was acquiring it in a $16.5 billion deal, with plans to sell the Bloomington plant to subsidiary Novo Nordisk. Catalent will operate as normal until the deal closes, which is expected at the end of the year.
After fulfilling contracts and customer obligations, the location will transition to produce diabetes and weight loss drugs, like Wegovy. The acquisition is expected to bring more stability to the operation, George Telthorst, director of Indiana University’s Center for the Business of Life Sciences, told IIB in February.
During the pandemic, Catalent ramped up its operations to meet the demand for COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, resulting in the hiring of hundreds of workers for an expected expansion and investment.
However, the contract drug maker has instead held layoffs, including a round of about 400 workers in December 2022 and another 150 in June 2023.