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<p align="center"><b>PLIVA to reduce workforce by 608 employees by the end of |
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2000</b></p> |
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<p> PLIVA d.d. ('PLIVA') announced today that it will significantly reduce its |
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total workforce by the end of the year. </p> |
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<p>The downsizing will occur across all production sites, involving a total of |
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608 employees or 8% of PLIVA's current workforce. The layoffs will include 410 |
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Croatian employees (PLIVA d.d.) by 30 June 2000, 68 Czech employees (PLIVA- |
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Lachema, Brno) by 01 June 2000, and 130 Polish employees (PLIVA Krakow) by 01 |
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November 2000.</p> |
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<p> In line with existing collective agreements, PLIVA has offered the affected |
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employees severance packages upon termination of their employment contract by |
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mutual consent. </p> |
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<p>Total downsizing costs are expected to amount to HRK 68 million. With labour |
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cost savings in the second half of the year, net downsizing costs would amount |
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to HRK 46 million for the year. Further positive results of the downsizing process |
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will become clearly evident in 2001, and in subsequent years. </p> |
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<p>Zeljko Covic, PLIVA's CEO and President of the Management Board, commented: |
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"Efficient cost management requires the introduction of new technologies and |
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the optimisation of business processes. With the implementation of the SAP-R/3 |
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system, changes in the supply chain and the exploitation of post acquisition |
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synergies, PLIVA is continuing its process of optimising staff numbers and job |
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structures. Equally, PLIVA recognizes the growing need for highly educated employees |
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and specialists in the pharmaceuticals field and continues to improve the company's |
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overall skill level." </p> |
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<p>For further information, please contact:</p> |
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<p> Erika Kaspar <br> |
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Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs <br> |
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Tel: 385 1 6120 755 <br> |
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Fax: 385 1 6114 413<br> |
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E-mail: <a href="mailto:erika.kaspar@pliva.hr">Erika.Kaspar@pliva.hr</a></p> |
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<p> Marija Mandic<br> |
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Financial Analyst<br> |
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Tel: 385 1 6160 355<br> |
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Fax: 385 1 6120 634 <br> |
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E-mail: <a href="marija.mandic@pliva.hr">Marija.Mandic@pliva.hr </a></p> |