Health-care company Abbott Laboratories may soon sell its Salt Lake facility, a move that would affect about 1,000 employees.
Company officials last week told employees that Abbott is considering a sale of the facility at 4455 S. Atherton Drive but gave no indication of the buyer or any timetable for a sale.
Bernie Bartlett, manager of the plant, was unavailable for comment, and other plant officials referred questions to Abbott headquarters north of Chicago.
"It is our policy not to comment on rumors, but I can say that the decision has not been made to sell the Salt Lake City facility," said Rhonda Luniak, director of public affairs for Abbott's hospital products division.
"A decision has not been made, and that's very important. They (employees) were told a decision has not been made. In terms of Abbott's decisions regarding these types of matters, they are made for strategic reasons, and the company takes into consideration employees, shareholders and customers.
"Any decision to sell would be for strategic reasons. Abbott is constantly looking at its business and how everything fits in the strategy."
Luniak declined to comment about the potential buyer, a possible sale price or time frame for any deal.
Abbott acquired the facility in October 1980 when it obtained Sorenson Research, which had been involved in the medical-device industry.
The Salt Lake plant is part of the company's Critical Care Systems operations and makes plastic molding for medical devices. Abbott has one other Critical Care Systems facility in the United States, in Morgan Hill, Calif., near San Francisco.
Abbott discovers, develops, manufactures and markets products and services that aid in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of diseases. The company has more than 57,000 employees, spends more than $1 billion annually in research and development, and its products are found in more than 130 countries.
Abbott has focused much of its efforts on pharmaceuticals, nutritionals, hospital products and diagnostics.
The company has three other California facilities; two each in Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas; and single operations in Arizona, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Virginia.
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