Back in February, Pfizer announced it would shutter its Sandwich UK R&D facility, which employs 2,400 people. Now, the BBC is reporting the drug giant has found some companies that would like to take over the space.
According to the BBC, Pfizer has signed confidentiality agreements with 10 companies and will call for an enterprise zone to be established in east Kent. BBC South East Business correspondent Mark Norman said Pfizer will likely ask for some short-term financial support from the government.
"They want to set up this enterprise zone in east Kent, which we'll need more detail on because that could be a bit of a flexible beast as to exactly what that might entail," Norman said. "[The zone] would give them an advantage. It might be lower taxation, lower rates--that sort of thing."
Local government officials have called on Pfizer to find an "ambitious solution" to minimize the economic impact of the plant's closure.
- see the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' release on the report
- get the report itself
- read more at the BBC