Upsher-Smith To Close Plymouth Plant, Lay Off At Least 58 Workers

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, a prominent manufacturer of generic drugs in the northwest metro, has announced it plans to close its Plymouth facility and lay off at least 58 workers.

The pharmaceutical company filed a WARN Act letter with the state, which is required for mass layoffs and plant closings of companies with 100 or more full-time employees.

The Plymouth facility, located at 14905 23rd Ave. N., would close effective June 2025, according to a company statement to CCX News.

Upsher-Smith has its headquarters in Maple Grove located off I-494. The notice stated that some employees in Maple Grove will be affected as well.

The drug manufacturer was acquired in April 2024 by Bora Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Taiwan.

“This decision is part of Bora’s strategic realignment to optimize global operations and better serve our customers,” a spokesperson for Upsher-Smith said in a statement to CCX News.

“Products currently produced at the Plymouth facility will be transferred to other state-of-the-art Bora Pharmaceuticals facilities. This transition ensures the continued supply of high-quality products to our customers while enhancing operational efficiency,” the statement said.

The layoffs will happen in phases. The first layoffs at are expected on April 4 and continue through July 31, according to the letter filed with the state Department of Employment and Economic Development. Some of the workers in Plymouth will be transferred to Maple Grove, the letter said.

The company’s website said Upsher-Smith began consolidating manufacturing at its Maple Grove facility in 2023. The website calls the Maple Grove location “one of the largest and newest U.S. generics plants in years.”

According to the company statement, the Maple Grove site will also offer space for customers to produce their own products, “reinforcing Bora’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the pharmaceutical industry.”

Upsher-Smith was founded in 1919 by pharmacist and chemist Frederick Upsher-Smith.

Also See: Hennepin Tech Partners With Upsher-Smith for Job Training

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