Merck on Sumneytown Pike in Upper Gwynedd Township (Credit: Google Maps Street View)
While 163 workers are impacted by layoffs, Merck's large manufacturing facility in Upper Gwynedd continues to drive its Pennsylvania presence
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is set to close its plant in Northumberland County, PA, impacting 163 workers.
However, it remains committed to Upper Gwynedd Township and Pennsylvania at-large. The company released the following statement to the media:
“Merck remains committed to Pennsylvania and employs approximately 14,000 people in the state. They company has invested over $3 billion to date in our Pennsylvania operations manufacturing medicines and vaccines that help save and improve lives around the world.”
The closure, announced through a WARN Notice filed with the state, involves three rounds of layoffs at the Cherokee manufacturing site in Riverside.
The layoffs will take place in May, June/July, and the final round in 2026, per the notice.
Merck had previously indicated its plans to wind down operations at this site in 2022, where it produced active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for antibiotics, according to WFMZ.com.
Merck operates multiple facilities in eastern Pennsylvania, including its largest manufacturing facility in the state, located in Upper Gwynedd Township. This site, referred to as West Point, is a significant part of Merck’s operations in the region, according to WFMZ.
Additionally, another site in Upper Gwynedd serves as the headquarters for Merck's U.S. Human Health Division.
Merck's U.S. headquarters are based in Rahway, New Jersey.
It has not announced any workforce reductions at its other Pennsylvania locations.
