Thermo Fisher shrinks headcount in San Diego area, axing over 200 positions
Thermo Fisher Scientific has laid off 230 workers at three of its locations in San Diego.
According to a California WARN notice, 183 Thermo Fisher employees were let go from a facility in San Diego, specifically at 6190 Cornerstone Court. Two other locations had smaller sackings of 32 and 15 employees. A report from the San Diego Union-Tribune stated that the bulk of positions being axed at the Cornerstone site are in manufacturing, with engineers and scientists also being handed layoffs.
“Thermo Fisher Scientific continuously evaluates its global operations to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness in meeting our customers’ needs. In alignment with this ongoing effort, we have made the decision to adjust staffing levels at San Diego-area sites to remain in line with current manufacturing volume demands,” said a Thermo Fisher spokesperson in an email to Endpoints News.
While no other details about the layoffs were given, the Union-Tribune did report that two of the sites in question came into Thermo Fisher’s possession from a 2021 acquisition of the diagnostic test maker Mesa Biotech. Both the Cornerstone Court location and another one on Carroll Park Drive were associated with Mesa Biotech.
“Decisions that impact colleagues and their families are never taken lightly. However, these actions are designed to better help us serve our customers, strengthen our global competitive position, and provide for the long-term growth and success of our organization,” the Thermo Fisher spokesperson said.
In its year-end report, Thermo Fisher stated that it saw a fall of around 13% in revenue for Covid-19 testing in 2022.
The manufacturer still has a large presence in the San Diego area, with a major facility in nearby Carlsbad with around 2,200 employees.
The manufacturing sector is not immune to the layoff trend in the wider biotech space, as big names in the contract space, including Abzena and Emergent, have all committed to axing headcounts within the first months of the year.
