Drugs plant closure 'depressing'

The plant closure has been described as "deeply depressing"

An urgent meeting is being sought with the Indian owners of a pharmaceutical plant in south west Scotland facing closure with the loss of 86 jobs.

Shasun Pharma Solutions Ltd plans to shut its Annan site in March next year as it is "no longer viable".

Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell described the news as "deeply depressing" for the area.

Dumfries MSP Elaine Murray said she was "very surprised" that the company had reached the closure decision.

Conservative Mr Mundell said he was seeking a meeting with the company.

"This is deeply depressing news for the Annan area and shows that the global downturn will affect us all," he said.

"My immediate thoughts are with the employees and their families and I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the company and workforce representatives."

He said he also hoped to meet with Enterprise Minister Jim Mather who is due to visit the region this week.

Enterprise grant

Ms Murray said she had been surprised by the announcement as the company had recently been "fairly optimistic" about the Annan plant's future.

She said she understood the firm had received £300,000 from Scottish Enterprise in connection with drug development at the site.

"I will be contacting Scottish Enterprise to try and find out what can be done," she said.

"It doesn't sound like there is much can be done to make the company change its mind.

"We now need to look at how we can market that plant and try to get somebody else interested in it."