Industry News

Merck invests $65 million in Puerto Rico expansion

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:33:22 GMT

BARCELONETA, Puerto Rico - Drugmaker Merck, Sharp & Dohme Ltd. has announced a $65 million expansion of its pharmaceutical laboratories in Puerto Rico.

The company is building a new plant at its site in the north coastal city of Barceloneta and says the project will employ more than 200 people.

Gov. Luis Fortuno said Tuesday he hopes the plant will boost the local economy.

Merck, Sharp & Dohme is a British subsidiary of New Jersey-based Merck & Co. The company employs roughly 900 people between its plants in Barceloneta and nearby Arecibo.

The U.S. Caribbean territory has been a pharmaceuticals hub for decades, although the closure of several manufacturing plants in recent years have aggravated an island recession.

FDA posts warning to Medtronic in P.R.

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:38:57 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned Medtronic Inc. (MDT) about failing to properly report and handle problems with its Synchromed drug-infusion pump and its MiniMed insulin pump.

In a June 1 warning letter, the FDA said it took Medtronic almost two years to recall its Synchomed II Pumps after discovering a missing propellant in some of the products.

"FDA is concerned with your failure to initiate a recall ... in a timely manner," the agency said in the letter, posted on the FDA's Web site Wednesday.

The agency also said the company didn't follow proper reporting procedures involving complaints related to the MiniMed insulin pump.

The warning letter was the result of an FDA inspection of a Medtronic plant in Puerto Rico conducted in November and December of last year.

In a statement, Medtronic said it was "working diligently to respond to the FDA on all of the issues and to ensure that any additional actions necessary to resolve the concerns are in place as quickly as possible."

The bulk of the letter relates to the company's Synchromed drug infusion pump and failures to comply with agency good-manufacturing-practice standards. The company started formal correspondence with the FDA in January aimed at correcting the manufacturing violations found during the inspection.

The FDA said "multiple" pumps were released and implanted in patients even though they weren't filled with a propellant needed for the pump to operate correctly.

The FDA said the company first identified a problem with the pumps in May 2006, and then in January 2007 the company determined the cause to be related to a failure to properly fill propellant into the pump's reservior. The devices were recalled in May 2008.

The FDA also said there was a failure to verify the fill weight of the devices after being processed through fill equipment. Had the company followed such procedures, it might have detected a manufacturing problem before the devices were released to the public.

The agency noted that Medtronic has retrained employees on the Synchromed manufacturing process and that the company has established additional "checkpoints" in the manufacturing process. The FDA said it would determine the adequacy of such steps during the next plant inspection.

Federal Entities Agree to Pay Fine, Reduce Pollution to Settle Underground Storage Tank Violations at Puerto Rico Facility

Fri, 29 May 2009 13:18:52 GMT

Two federal entities will pay a fine and enhance how they manage underground storage tanks at a facility in Puerto Rico to settle a case with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Puerto Rico Army National Guard and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will together pay a $69,000 fine and ensure the underground storage tanks at their Camp Santiago facility in Salinas, P.R. comply with Puerto Rico underground storage tank requirements. The Guard will also install a system to conserve water and reduce pollution at the facility, estimated to cost $670,000. These actions resolve complaints issued by EPA to the two entities in August 2008.

An underground storage tank system commonly stores petroleum or hazardous wastes. There are about 625,000 systems nationwide, and they can harm the environment and human health if their contents are released.

“The Puerto Rico Army National Guard and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service have taken responsibility for their failure to comply with the law, and are working not just to comply, but also use water more efficiently and prevent pollution at Camp Santiago,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. “Underground tanks can cause serious damage as they leak, and it is critical that all entities, including the federal government properly manage them.”

Going beyond the Puerto Rico underground storage tank management requirements, the Puerto Rico Army National Guard will install a gauge to detect tank leaks automatically, and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service will develop a monitoring plan for its tanks in use in Puerto Rico. The Guard will install at Camp Santiago a system that recycles water used to wash vehicles in its fleet, which will help prevent the release of oils, grease and other substances. The system is considered a supplemental environmental project, or SEP, an environmentally-beneficial project that a violator voluntarily agrees to undertake in settlement; it must be a project that a violator will not otherwise be required to perform.

Camp Santiago is a training center for military activities, and contains vehicle fueling and maintenance areas.

Construction of UPR’s Molecular Sciences building on track

Mon, 25 May 2009 16:22:52 GMT

By : JOSÉ L. CARMONA

josec@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

Edition: May 21, 2009 | Volume: 37 | No: 20

Construction of the island’s first-ever molecular sciences facility is on track for its late December 2009 delivery date to the University of Puerto Rico, Lorenzo Dragoni, president of construction firm AMS Construction Managers, told CARIBBEAN BUSINESS.

The $77 million, 149,000-square-foot, eight-story structure is designed to meet the island’s advanced scientific research needs for the next 25 years. It sits on a one-acre lot across the street from the Urban Train station in Cupey.

“The reinforced concrete structure features a sophisticated foundation system that provides a near-zero vibration tolerance, architecturally striking glass curtain wall enclosure and innovative project management to assure its construction stays within budget,” Dragoni explained.

The first phase of the project, at $12 million, began in May 2007 and consisted of site preparation, which involved demolition of existing structures at the site, asbestos and lead mitigation, installation of 869 foundation piles and designing and ordering the structure’s trademark exterior glass enclosure from Canadian glass manufacturer Glasstra. Currently, the project is 60% complete and well into its construction, or second phase, which began in September 2007 at an estimated $55 million.

“This is the first time this type of glass enclosure has been done on the island, which AMS did in collaboration with Glasstra. Typically, glass buildings don’t comply with green building requirements, but this glass has high-efficiency capabilities. It features a mesh-type curtain that allows visibility, but modulates the light that comes in,” Dragoni explained. The building will have a small number of parking spaces, as most scientists working at the facility will travel by Urban Train, either from the Río Piedras Medical Center or UPR’s main campus in Río Piedras.

Given the building’s proximity to the Urban Train station and to vehicles passing along PR1, the structure required a near-zero vibration tolerance because of the sensitive and delicate scientific research instruments to be used inside the structure. The near-zero vibration tolerance was achieved through the 869 foundation piles and the use of isolated five-foot-thick tiles on the first floor, which will house most of the specialized equipment, including an electron microscope and some 100 researchers and their support staff.

According to Dragoni, the construction-management method used in this project, called construction management with a guaranteed maximum price-at risk (GMP-at risk), assured UPR the project would be built within budget even before construction began, by separating the different construction phases into packages and involving various local subcontractors in the process.

Construction of the building is a joint venture between AMS and Providence, Island-based Gilbane Building Co. based on a design by Hillier Architects. Some 400 local construction workers have been involved in this project since its inception, including local subcontractors Enrique Blanes Palmer (civil engineering), Aireko Construction (concrete structure) and Bermúdez & Longo (mechanical engineering).

MONITOREO Y MUESTREO DE ESCORRENTIA DE AGUAS DE

Mon, 25 May 2009 15:47:16 GMT

By Justino R. Ferrer Hopgood, PE, REM, CEA

MONITOREO Y MUESTREO DE ESCORRENTIA DE AGUAS DE
LLUVIA ASOCIADAS AL PERMISO GENERAL NPDES INDUSTRIAL
PARA AGUA DE LLUVIA POR MULTISECTORES

Importante recordarles que el Multi-Sector Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities (MSGP), requiere se monitoreé comenzando en el primer trimestre después del 1 de abril de 2009 o la fecha de la autorización de descarga de agua de lluvia. Se debe monitorear cada tres meses (4 veces por año) en cada punto de descarga de agua de lluvia de la facilidad. Para comenzar un plan de monitoreo y muestreo de agua de lluvia se debe tener en cuenta lo siguiente:

Se deben identificar los puntos de descarga de la propiedad, y donde se tomarán las muestras.
Para cada evento de lluvia representativo se debe tomar en cuenta, la fecha y duración (en horas), de cada evento de lluvia, el total de precipitación (en pulgadas) para ese evento, y el tiempo de duración (en días).
Se debe realizar una inspección visual, como parte de los requerimientos del permiso, mínimo una cada tres meses para cada punto de descarga de agua de lluvia en la facilidad meses para identificar los siguientes parámetros: color, olor, turbidez, sólidos flotantes, precipitados, y suspendidos, espuma, rastros de hidrocarburos, u otros indicadores de contaminación de agua de lluvia. Una de estas inspecciones debe realizarse durante un evento de lluvia representativo.
La Agencia de Protección Ambiental (EPA, por sus siglas en inglés), también requieren que algunas facilidades o sectores realicen monitoreo de descargas de agua de lluvia. Estos incluyen “benchmark monitoring” y effluent limitation guidelines monitoring. Para más información sobre los parámetros ("benchmark" / "effluent limitation") favor de consultar el Apéndice T de su SWPP Plan.
El “benchmark monitoring” debe realizarse cada tres meses, y los resultados son comparados con las concentraciones de contaminantes para evaluar la eficiencia de las medidas de control. A final de año se debe enviar el promedio de estos resultados a EPA.
El "effluent limitation guidelines monitoring" se ejecuta una vez al año a las facilidades que le apliquen para cada uno de los puntos de descarga de agua de lluvia y someter a EPA.
Antes de realizar una toma de muestras, se debe contactar un laboratorio certificado para analizar y reportar muestras ambientales. El laboratorio le orientará a cerca de los contenedores apropiados necesarios para recolectar la muestra de acuerdo a los parámetros requeridos para su sector industrial, modo de recolección de muestras, entre otros. Es necesario mantener en la propiedad un "cooler" (neverita) con los contenedores apropiados y sus preservativos para cada muestra. Recuerde que debe considerar al momento de tomar las muestras el “holding time” dependiendo el parámetro que se desea medir, y que cada contenedor debe estar rotulado con el nombre de la facilidad, dirección, identificación del punto de descarga, parámetro y método analítico, hora y fecha, y tipo de muestra.
Antes de la toma de muestra el personal debe asegurarse de estar provisto de materiales y equipo a utilizarse durante el muestreo, incluyendo el equipo provisto por el laboratorio para muestreo. Deben tener un bulto preparado con botas, capas, guantes, cápasete, marcadores impermeables, libreta, linterna, medidor de pH, entre otro equipo de seguridad necesario aplicable.
Todas las muestras deben tomarse en los puntos de descarga de agua de lluvia durante eventos representativos que resultan en 0.1 pulgadas de escorrentía, dentro de los primeros 30 minutos del evento de lluvia. El evento de lluvia debe ser luego de un evento ocurrido al menos 72 horas (3 días).
Cuando más de un tipo de monitoreo para el mismo parámetro aplica al mismo punto de descarga de agua de lluvia, solo se realizará una muestra para cumplir con ambos requerimientos de monitoreo. En este caso las muestras trimestrales para "benchmark monitoring" pueden ser utilizadas para la muestra anual del "effluent limitation monitoring".
Recuerde que debe tener en mente el “holding time” para cada parámetro a la hora de transportar sus muestras para análisis en el laboratorio. Ej. Para el parámetro de pH, las muestras deben ser analizadas dentro de 15 minutos, luego de la recolección. Existen equipos sencillo y digitales para esta muestras que el laboratorio le puede mantener calibrado y ustedes pueden tomar fácilmente.

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y documentacion que necesitas para tus proyectos.

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Mon, 25 May 2009 13:58:41 GMT

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Mon, 25 May 2009 13:55:58 GMT

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EPA Announces $400,000 for Brownfields Projects in Puerto Rico

Fri, 08 May 2009 18:57:08 GMT

The municipality of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico has been chosen to receive $400,000 to help assess, cleanup and revitalize former industrial and commercial sites, turning them from problem properties to productive community use. The two $200,000 grants, to be awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are from the EPA brownfields general program funding.

“Assessing sites so that they can be cleaned up and reused will provide the catalyst to improve the lives of residents living in or near Aguadilla,” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou, “By revitalizing these sites, we will reduce threats to human health and the environment, create green jobs, promote community involvement, and attract investment in local neighborhoods.”

Applicants selected to receive brownfields general program funds are:

Aguadilla, PR
$200,000 to assess sites with hazardous substances
$200,000 to assess sites with petroleum

EPA has selected the Municipality of Aguadilla for two brownfields assessment grants. Communitywide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct at least seven Phase I and two Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct at least seven Phase I and four Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to develop an inventory of sites, conduct cleanup planning, and support community outreach activities.

The grants will help to assess, clean and redevelop abandoned, contaminated properties known as brownfields. Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. In addition, the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 expanded the definition of a brownfield to include mine-scarred lands or sites contaminated by petroleum or the manufacture of illegal drugs. Grant recipients are selected through a national competition.

The Brownfields Program encourages cleanup and redevelopment of America’s estimated 450,000 brownfields sites. Since the beginning of the Brownfields Program, EPA has awarded 1449 assessment grants totaling over $337.3 million, 242 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $233.4 million, and 534 cleanup grants totaling $93.3 million.

Wyeth first on island to install windmill to generate energy

Thu, 07 May 2009 13:16:09 GMT

By : GINA M. HERNÁNDEZ

gina@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

Edition: May 7, 2009 | Volume: 37 | No: 18

Wyeth Puerto Rico became the first to install a windmill to generate energy on the island as part of a wind and solar pilot program to improve energy efficiency at its Guayama pharmaceutical and consumer products plants.

A 42-foot-tall windmill and 52 photovoltaic plaques are the first phase of the pilot project. Wyeth invested $100,000 to $130,000 on both systems, which have a combined generating capacity of 12 kilowatts per hour (kWh).

Wyeth engineers already started the second phase, a one-year study of the area’s wind patterns. “Using the wind as energy, we have generated approximately 60 kWh of energy daily. The data we are collecting will allow us to determine the wind’s frequency and speed, among other elements. The next step is to conduct a viability study where we will determine how much of an expansion we will make in terms of acquiring systems that generate alternative energy,” said engineer Antonio Otaño, executive director of site infrastructure & development at Wyeth Guayama.

Regardless, Wyeth isn’t considering disconnecting from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) grid anytime soon, or in the future, according to Otaño.

“Currently, the return on investment of this type of equipment isn’t really attractive, but we decided to invest in this pilot project because we want to understand how these systems work and explore potential benefits because trends indicate energy prices will continue to rise,” Otaño said. The monthly energy consumption in Wyeth Guayama’s manufacturing plant is 10 million kWh.

This isn’t the first energy-efficiency plan Wyeth has carried out, Otaño said. “Through a series of small initiatives, we reduced our energy consumption 7% to 10% in 2008,” Otaño said. In addition, Wyeth has installed sensors that turn off the lights in empty rooms and turns them on when someone walks in.

US FDA warns P&G for problems at Olay plant

Tue, 05 May 2009 15:06:41 GMT

Procter & Gamble Co. is working with federal regulators to resolve operating issues at one of its plants in Puerto Rico.

The plant, which makes Olay skin care and Vicks cold medicine products, did not meet federal standards on the making and processing of over-the-counter drugs, according to an April 29 letter from the Food and Drug Administration. The letter also stated that several cosmetic products were prepared or held under “unsanitary conditions.”

P&G spokesman Paul Fox said the consumer products maker is cooperating fully with the FDA to address the issues, and stressed that all the products are safe. He said the warning letter stemmed from equipment and processes that are specific to that facility, in the town of Cayey.

“We have a very unique set of practices, procedures and equipment that we don’t see anywhere else,” he said. There is, for example, manual process at the plant that does not exist at any other P&G facility.

“While the practices are designed to meet the high standards we demand, it (the FDA) did identify potential areas where we can and will make improvements,” Fox said.

P&G had begun its own thorough investigation of the plant prior to the warning letter, following the outcome of a routine FDA inspection in the fall of 2008. In April, P&G cut 90 part-time jobs at the Cayey plant.

Cincinnati-based P&G (NYSE: PG) is the world’s largest consumer products maker, with a portfolio that includes the brands Pampers, Charmin and Gillette.

Ingeniería Verde: Buena para el ambiente y sus Finanzas

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:23:53 GMT

Buena para el Ambiente y sus Finanzas

Durante el pasado año, los medios noticiosos principales han aumentado su énfasis de cobertura en todo lo "verde"

Las preocupaciones acerca del cambio climático global, precios de energía en aumento, y las nuevas cláusulas ambientales en la legislación gubernamental están creando nuevas prioridades y expectativas – desde productos para el consumidor hasta responsabilidad corporativa y planes de sustentabilidad. Para cumplir con estas exigencias, compañías, grandes y pequeñas alrededor del mundo están en carrera para no solo crear productos y tecnologías que atiendan estas inquietudes sino que también están cambiando las maneras y procesos empleados en su creación. Ingenieros y científicos alrededor. del mundo están a cargo de las soluciones que lograran el mayor impacto en el medio ambiente, estas son muchísimo mas importantes que cualquier legislación gubernamental. La ingeniería verde les provee las herramientas, técnicas, y tecnologías que fomentan esta innovación.

Ingeniería Verde – Significado

Los ingenieros que deseen reducir las emisiones de sus productos, desarrollar dispositivos que consuman menos energía, viabilizar la creación de tecnologías de energía renovable, u obtener un mejor entendimiento del ecosistema global necesitan ingeniería verde. Ingeniería verde es el uso de técnicas de medición y control para diseñar, desarrollar, y mejorar productos, tecnologías y procesos que redunden en beneficios hacia el medio ambiente y a la economía. Mientras el enfoque de hoy es en lo verde, la ingeniería verde no es fundamentalmente diferente a ningún otro tipo de innovación en la ingeniería. Primero, usted debe medir las variables que le conciernen, después puede comenzar el proceso de diseñar o arreglar productos y procesos que logren sus metas. La ingeniería verde abarca medidas comunes como calidad de la electricidad y su consumo, emisiones de vehículos y fábricas tales como mercurio y óxidos de nitrógeno, y datos del medio ambiente como carbón, temperatura y calidad del agua. Tomas Cuerda Inc. le brinda acceso a la ingeniería verde al proveerle instrumentos de medición, análisis, y control además de la garantía y calibración certificada de esos instrumentos y soluciones para asegurarle un aumento en eficiencia operacional y reducción en el impacto ambiental.

Durante 50 años, Tomas Cuerda Inc. Se ha enfocado en proveerle una gama de soluciones de medición que son flexibles, y de bajo costo a través de instrumentos para sus procesos tanto en la captación de datos como en el reportaje de esos resultados para su provecho. En los últimos años, hemos expandido nuestra visión para incorporar estos instrumentos en productos hechos a la medida de sus necesidades procesales que redundan en ahorros en materiales, energía, y reducción en la huella de carbón de su empresa; soluciones que puede incorporar ahora con ganancias a corto, mediano y largo plazo. Para los empleados de TCI, es una recompensa el ver la variedad de aplicaciones que hemos desarrollado y como muchas de estas tienen un impacto significativo para la sociedad – desde automatizar la dosificación de polímero en plantas de filtración de aguas hasta la implementación motores y sistemas de iluminación de alta eficiencia y bajo consumo que pueden reducir su factura energética en mas de un 25%.

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EPA Fines Construction Companies in Culebra, Puerto Rico for Ignoring Federal Water Quality Laws

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:30:18 GMT

In a move that shows its strong commitment to enforcing rules that protect water quality, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) levied fines against eight construction companies in Culebra, P.R. for their failure to follow federal regulations for handling stormwater run off from construction sites. The eight companies are Culebra Resorts Associates; Playa Clara, S. E.; Inversiones del Mercado; JOFA Contractors; Caribbean Properties Investments; VPI Construction Corp.; and Víctor Morales all face fines for failing to obtain proper stormwater permits for construction sites in Culebra. Alfa & Omega was also fined for similar violations related to the installation of a sewer line. The companies face fines totaling $205,500.

“The failure to implement adequate stormwater and sewage controls at these construction sites was harming Culebra’s fragile coastal ecosystems” said EPA Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. “Stormwater runoff carries sediments and other pollutants that endanger sea grasses and coral ecosystems, which in turn can impact threatened and endangered sea turtles.”

The eight companies failed to obtain permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), a program under the federal Clean Water Act that regulates stormwater discharges associated with sewer systems, and industrial and construction activities. NPDES requires owners and operators of construction sites larger than one acre to obtain a permit and to develop and implement a storm water pollution prevention plan, including best management practices to minimize the amount of pollutants reaching waterways.

Breakdown of the fines:
Inversiones del Mercado/Jofa Contractors Corp. $60,050
Caribbean Properties Investment/VPI Construction Corp. $56,050
Culebra Resort Associates $32,500
Víctor Morales $32,500
Playa Clara, S.E. $24,400

Two endangered species of sea turtles, the hawksbill turtle and the leatherback turtle, and one threatened species, the green turtle, inhabit Culebra’s coastal waters. Elkhorn and staghorn coral, both endangered species, are also found in these waters.

Sediment runoff rates from construction sites are typically 10 to 20 times greater than those from agricultural lands, and 1,000 to 2,000 times greater than those of forest lands. Sediment discharges from construction sites can cause physical and biological harm to waterways.

Bacardi cuts 77 jobs at Puerto Rico rum plant

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:47:06 GMT

Bacardi Corp. says it is eliminating 77 jobs at its rum distillery in Puerto Rico as part of a restructuring.

The company says it is shifting some bottling to facilities in Europe and the U.S. mainland to be closer to those markets.

Bacardi says the plant near the Puerto Rican capital will remain its principal site for rum production worldwide. The distillery in Catano, across the bay from San Juan, opened in 1958 and currently employs more than 350 people.

The company said Friday in a statement that the positions will be cut by the end of the fiscal year.

Wyeth lays off 89 in Guayama

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:19:44 GMT

Por Juan Nadal Nolasco
Diario DigitalRD.Com

Johnson & Johnson canceló 60 empleados el martes 14 de abril en su planta de Manatí, bajo el alegato de que varios de los contratos de producción que movían a esta planta, fueron trasladados a Canadá, donde la empresa tiene una planta que produce artículos de uso personal. De hecho, la compañía le ofreció a los despedidos la opción de irse a trabajar a Canadá, según indicó la portavoz de la firma, Iris Ramos.

Procter & Gamble, despidió 90 empleados de igual número de plazas, como parte de una estrategia, común en varias farmacéuticas y multinacionales en Puerto Rico, de eliminar continuamente puestos de trabajo, reduciendo los costos de operación, para producir más por menos costo, lo que entienden es eficientización de las operaciones. Las reducciones de personal incluyeron varias áreas de la firma empresarial.

Wyeth, cesanteó 89 empleados entre su planta de manufactura farmacéutica y la división de productos de consumo, ubicadas ambas en la sureña ciudad de Guayama; por lo menos en esta empresa, una de las más grandes empleadoras del área sur de Puerto Rico, seguirán los despidos, según reveló Zuna Maza, portavoz de la misma. En Wyeth, los despidos fueron de inmediato, efectivos al 15 de abril.

Consecuencia de la crisis económica que sacude a Estados Unidos, las farmacéuticas han estado cesanteando a centenares de empleados en Puerto Rico, la tendencia se agudizó a mitad del año pasado y se ha manifestado fuertemente en los primeros meses del presente 2009, otrora uno de los sectores que más empleos aportaban a la economía boricua, las empresas al parecer quieren desligar ciertas operaciones de esta isla.

Y pese a que disfrutan de innumeros beneficios y exenciones impositivas, han estado trasladando operaciones hacia otros países donde poseen plantas; por ejemplo Johnson & Johnson, propuso a los 150 empleados de la planta en Manatí que serían despedidos, el irse a trabajar al Canadá, a una planta de Praxis Pharma, no hubo aceptación de la propuesta patronal, por razones culturales, climatológicas y del idioma.

Es que hay dos cosas que resultan obstáculo para los puertorriqueños en sentido general y lo son el frío y el inglés; acostumbrados a la forma de vida en la isla del encanto, al boricua le resulta bien duro emigrar permanentemente y dejar atrás familia, lazos generacionales y adaptarse a una nueva forma de vida, mas cuando aquí en Puerto Rico ya contaban con su estilo de vida y ventajas derivadas del trabajo.

Para muchas familias puertorriqueñas las empresas farmacéuticas eran y siguen siendo una panacea, primero por los jugosos sueldos, los mejor pagados del mundo laboral, los beneficios que le impulsaban a casa propia, vehículo del año, viajes, etc; en numerosos casos ambos esposos trabajan en la misma empresa, logrando en pocos años beneficios envidiados por muchos, todo se viene abajo cuando la empresa anuncia los despidos.

Otro impacto negativo resulta para las ciudades donde estan establecidas las fábricas y hasta para los municipios cercanos a las mismas, por ejemplo es el caso de Guayama, en el sur de la isla, donde Wyeth mantiene dos fábricas y hasta hace poco empleaba miles de puertorriqueños, tanto residentes en la ciudad del Guamaní, como en los cercanos municipios de Arroyo, Patillas, Maunabo,Salinas y Santa Isabel.

Ya los comerciantes de la zona sienten la pérdida de los empleos en la Wyeth, al haber menos personas trabajando hay menos compradores en las tiendas y baja el flujo de negocios, lo que afecta a toda la economía; otra mano de obra afectada es la de las empresas contratistas que dan servicio a las farmacéuticas, en lo que va de año casi todas las contratistas han despedido a la mayoría del personal a falta de labor en las fábricas.

Con este escenario en el sector farmacéutico, otrora gran generador de empleos, más los avisos de bancos, telefónicas y grandes tiendas en el sentido de que tendrán que reducir sus nóminas, se torna cada día mas difícil la generación de empleos en la isla del encanto, se agrega la casi total paralización de la industria de la construcción y la decisión del gobierno de despedir a casi 30,000 empleados antes del mes de junio.

Rockwell Automation again among ‘world’s most ethical companies’ in 2009

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:16:03 GMT

By : LAWSON D. THURSTON

lawson@caribbeanbusinesspr.com

Edition: April 23, 2009 | Volume: 37 | No: 16

Rockwell Automation has been recognized for the second year as one of the “world’s most ethical companies” by Ethisphere Institute, an international think tank based in New York dedicated to the advancement of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anticorruption and sustainability.

The selection process included reviewing the ethical and legal performance of global companies from over 100 countries and 35 industries, from which 99 were selected as winners by Ethisphere Institute.

“We are excited to be recognized as a global leader in ethics, corporate citizenship and sustainability,” said Keith Nosbusch, Rockwell Automation chairman & CEO. “We believe in growing responsibly and building trust by acting with integrity. I want to thank our 20,000-plus employees who earned this award.”

Ethisphere Institute rankings are based on factors that go to the heart of corporate governance and environmentalism, including innovation that contributes to public well-being and the use of fewer resources. Companies are also judged on corporate governance, legal and regulatory reputation and track record, executive leadership, industry leadership and internal systems and ethics-compliance programs.

Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK) is a leading global provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve a competitive advantage in their businesses. In Puerto Rico, Rockwell Automation has offices in Guaynabo and Aguadilla, and employs about 70 people serving customers across the Caribbean region. Worldwide, the company employs more than 20,000 people in more than 80 countries.