Kansas City, MO- August 27, 2009 — Sanofi-aventis U.S. today announced that it will close its Kansas City, Mo. manufacturing site, which is expected to occur by mid-2012. The decision to close the site, which mainly makes solid dose forms of oral medications, is based on a North American decline in demand for products manufactured at this site.
Alain Peychaud, head of manufacturing for the Pharma Solids operations of sanofi-aventis said, “The site has an excellent performance record and the Kansas City community has been extremely supportive through the years. Ultimately, however, the decision was made based on a strong decline in demand.”
Employees were told of the company’s plans in a site meeting earlier today. The process for closing the site will happen in phases and is expected to take approximately two-and-a-half years. The company plans to provide additional details on the timetable and process by the end of November.
The site leader of the Kansas City facility, Osric Kirk Reavis, said, "Our priority will be to help employees through this transition as we continue to follow strict safety and compliance guidelines while gradually reducing our manufacturing levels."
About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis U.S. is an affiliate of sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to help improve the lives of patients. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY). For more information, www.sanofi-aventis.us or www.sanofi-aventis.com.
Forward Looking Statements
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Contact : Jack Cox, Tel: 908-981-5280, Email: jack.cox@sanofi-aventis.com