Biopharma tools and services provider Thermo Fisher Scientific is set to lay off more than 100 workers as the Waltham-based firm is closing its Franklin facility amid an executive shakeup.
Thermo Fisher announced it would shutter its site at 27 Forge Parkway in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter on Jan. 23. As a result of the closure, 103 employees will lose their positions, with their termination dates ranging between Dec. 31, 2026, and Dec. 31, 2027.
“All affected employees have been notified of their separation dates and that their separation from employment will be permanent,” Alejandra Bailon, Thermo Fisher vice president, human resources chemical analysis division, said in the letter.
Thermo Fisher did not respond to WBJ’s request for comment on the closure.
The layoffs will be spread throughout 53 different positions, with senior depot repair technicians representing the largest portion of to-be terminated employees. These workers are not represented by a union.
Thermo Fisher’s facility closure comes shortly after two of the company’s executives announced they would leave the provider to pursue other opportunities.
Michel Lagarde, Thermo Fisher executive vice president and chief operating officer, will step down from his roles on March 31 while Executive Vice President Frederick Lowery will leave on Feb. 28, according to a Jan. 12 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Upon leaving Thermo Fisher, Lowery is set to become the CEO of Henry Schein, a New York-based dental equipment manufacturer, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“I am deeply grateful to Marc Casper, Thermo Fisher’s leadership team, and 120,000 Thermo Fisher colleagues. Together, we have supported a mission that has a profound and lasting impact on people around the world. We delivered sustained growth by enabling customer success across a global organization, while continuing to build a culture grounded in values and trust,” Lowery wrote in a January LinkedIn post.
As of Monday morning, Lagarde’s LinkedIn has not been updated with a new position. He will be replaced at Thermo Fisher by Executive Vice President Gianluca Pettiti.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.
