NEW YORK CITY-Pfizer said Tuesday it will close eightmanufacturing plants in the US and Europe by the end of 2015, whilereducing operations at six others. The cuts will mean laying off6,000 workers globally over the next several years.

Nat Ricciardi, Pfizer’s global manufacturing president, says ina statement that the pharmaceutical giant “must continue to adjustto the fast-changing and extremely competitive environment in whichwe operate. That means realigning our network and reducing ourmanufacturing capacity so that we can position Pfizer for the nextphase of growth across biopharmaceuticals and our diversifiedbusiness portfolio.”

Locally, Pfizer will shut down manufacturing at its Pearl River,NY and Rouses Point, NY facilities; the Pearl River site willcontinue to house R&D operations. Also slated for closure areplants in Richmond, VA, which also will support ongoing R&Dactivity; Caguas and Carolina in Puerto Rico; and Dublin, Loughbegand Shanbally, all in Ireland. The company plans to scale backoperations at its facilities in Sanford, SC; Andover, MA; Guayama,PR; Havant, UK; Illertissen, Germany; and Newbridge, Ireland.