MPI Research cutting jobs in Mattawan

MPI fancies itself as a global player but it has 1,200 employees left? What happened to the 1,800 they had? Why do they still list 1,600 on their website? Maybe the other 400 are China jobs now? I wonder if they will continue to overwork and terminate 40% of the staff annually now that MPI is short-handed?

How do you even get hired into mpi? I have been applying to jobs that I am way overqualified for on their website and still never hear anything. They have a weird hiring process it seems like.

MPI often doesn't call back people whom interview there. I have no idea why they fail to communicate with people to let them know if MPI is interested or not in hiring them. The website is likely out of date to and the job you're applying for may not actually be available.

currently employed wrote:

I currently work for MPI and have survived all layoffs thus far, but to what end? Everyday I'm swamped and am forced to work weekends and extended hours. Almost all company benefits have been removed. I am a slave to MPI Research where the new motto is "Work 70 hours a week or get laid off"

Most contract research organizations are like that. The difference is that other CROs care about their employees and turnover. MPI Research seems to just look for ways to terminate their employees. The problem is that if you have that many "bad" employees, 40 percent or more annually, that need to be walked out, then it's more a reflection on management and their interviewing skills. Managers at MPI don't get walked out at the same rate as technicians though, do they?

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/mpi-r...

speaker wrote:

MPI fancies itself as a global player but it has 1,200 employees left? What happened to the 1,800 they had? Why do they still list 1,600 on their website? Maybe the other 400 are China jobs now? I wonder if they will continue to overwork and terminate 40% of the staff annually now that MPI is short-handed?

down another 10% in staff this year, so far,'bout a thousand left now, amazing how quickly a company can be crushed by this U.S. economy today

Its funny to read what some people write and the spin others try to put on what they say.
I worked for and was in the "Management" of MPI Research for many years. I didn't "grow up" in MPI, as so many of the senior management have. Much to the current down fall of MPI. I wasn't part of any layoff, but resigned so I wouldn't be associated with the poor quality of the studies being run at MPI. So, I have no real grudge. I knew they were in trouble, both with finance and that many in management were never held accountable. I was keenly aware of all the in's and out's and where the skeletons were buried. There buried, both literally and figuratively.
MPI, as a company didn't care about its sponsors. There were some in management that did, but most only looked to gain what they could for themselves, in both title and in compensation. The back stabbing and lack of ability to account for mistakes made by staff and management is the biggest problem with MPI. The term F-up and go up is firmly in place at MPI. Great job with that!
It has not helped that MPI can't manage or communicate down to the staff. This is true from the VERY top, as the "Head Cheese" really only wants to build big buildings for posterity sake and keep the "Good Old Boy" network running strong. He has helped to kill his company. Profit was the driver, and outbidding (or underbidding) the competition to drive them out was the motivation. He stood there every year and told you and I WE were the reason for the success of MPI. Who is he blaming for the demise, not himself! Who is taking the hit in their wallet?? The investors and the lower level staff. HE has nothing to lose but his pride. HE got his money long ago. HE even took his family to the Bahamas for Christmas on their private jet to their big house just days after HE let hundreds of people go. Classy?? Guess money can't buy you class? Maybe 1st class.
There once was that good old saying "We don't want to be the biggest, but the best". Hear him yelling that in your mind?? Bet ya do! That was never the case, and everyone who works at MPI knows that is a load of crap.
To those of you who are still there......get out while you can, cuz this ship is going to the bottom folks. The GLP's are clear, you have to have the staff to do the work, but if you have no staff, then you can't book business. Its a vicious cycle, and sponsors are not stupid. To many have been bitten by MPI and their inability to produce a clean study, so it inhibits the sponsors business. Hence, Covance and CRL are busy. Its not the economy STUPID....its your shoddy senior managers and yourself!
Its a sad state, but MPI deserves what is happening. They (top management) were greedy, selfish and unaccountable. Now all staff left, a small town and SouthWest Michigan will suffer from the greed of a few.
MPI Research, as a company you are going to the grave and its about time and please take all your "senior VP's, and seniors directors" with you, because lord knows we don't need them to go to any other company.

Good luck to those who thought you were going to get a paycheck and an education at MPI. Its coming to an end, a very sad end. The worst part is that it didn't have to happen. With just a little courage, HE could have let those who were dragging the company into the ground go, but HE just couldn't. So, another notch and a company in ruins.

Cheers to you all. Good luck and God speed.

I survived the initial lay off in '08. We were told there would be no lay-offs and the next day came in to work to find out that they called people at home and let them go. It got to the point where we were afraid for our jobs the first of every month, and I was let go in November, despite being one of the best employees in my group. That didn't matter, because it was based on seniority, not quality of work. I am glad that they have not done call backs for my department, beause I do not wish to go back. The benefits and pay, and company events were what kept us happy. They froze our wages, took away our hours, and expected us to be happy. When I was laid off, we had just gotten our hours bumped up to 35, with a possible 40. They laid off several of us in my department, and that department is now overworked and understaffed. They are doing mandatory weekendss and getting around 70 hours a week. Way to go MPI.

It would seem that the writing IS on the wall for MPI Research. I wish they would read what both current and former employees are writing, or that at least HE would, and make some changes. The staff of MPI hasn't had a merit increase for almost two years now. So much for keeping the little talent they have left for much longer.

To Mr. Parfet:

MPI's woes are not the fault of the state of Michigan, they are not the fault of the teachers in Michigan, they are not entirely the fault of the financial meltdown, MPI Research is a private company and as such the fault lies with you.

Well said.

After 17 years at MPI Research, No. 2 executive announces resignation
By Alex Nixon | Kalamazoo Gazette
April 13, 2010, 5:38PM

Kalamazoo Gazette fileBill Harrison, pictured in April 2008, will step down as president of MPI Research at the end of April.MATTAWAN — The No. 2 executive at MPI Research is leaving the Mattawan testing company to pursue new opportunities.

Bill Harrison, who started with MPI’s predecessor company IRDC in 1993, told MPI employees Monday that he was resigning effective April 30.

“I’ve been thinking about working with a start-up organization,” Harrison told the Kalamazoo Gazette.“But I’m looking to stay in the area.”

Harrison said he’s talking to several small companies involved in the life sciences industry in Southwest Michigan about a new job.

MPI Research, which formed in 1995 after Upjohn Co. heir William U. Parfet bought IRDC, does preclinical testing work for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Harrison, 48, worked for about seven years as director of regulatory affairs before becoming MPI’s chief operating officer and president in 2000. Parfet is the company’s sole owner and chief executive officer.

MPI Research has experienced some ups and downs in the last couple years.

After announcing in April 2008 a $330 million expansion that would create 3,300 new jobs, the economic crisis of late 2008 forced the company to lay off about 200 of its approximately 1,600-person work force in Mattawan.

The company also delayed plans to move into laboratory space in downtown Kalamazoo that was formerly owned by Pfizer Inc. MPI now expects to begin renovation of those buildings later this year.

And the Gazette reported last week that MPI was ending a joint venture in China, two years after forming it.

Harrison said MPI has “weathered the storm” of the last two years and he is leaving the company in a strong position.

“We’re in a good spot,” Harrison said.“Business is turning around nicely.”

Harrison said MPI recorded its best quarter of new business between January and March in a year and a half.

“We’re certainly beginning to see the upswing here,” he said.

Parfet, in a statement to the Gazette, said Harrison was important in MPI Research's development.

“Although he will be missed by the entire MPI Research family, we heartily support his desire to pursue new ventures in the local life science community — we have no doubt that he will continue to be an invaluable asset to our community and in his next business enterprise,” Parfet said.“If we had statues around here representing the people that made this company great, Bill Harrison would be one of them.”

Harrison said the company’s management team has the depth to take over once he leaves.

“There won’t be a gap when I leave,” he said.“That’s another reason why it’s a good time.”

Is MPI Research still open?

continued...
William U. Parfet, MBA, Chairman and CEO of MPI Research, also recognizes the value this cooperative agreement creates and stated, "ImmuneRegen and MPI Research are both innovative companies that, together, create a synergy that is important within today's drug development industry. This collaboration reflects the flexible, solution-based mindset of each organization, allowing them to effectively leverage their respective strengths and resources."
About MPI Research MPI Research, a preclinical contract research organization with global headquarters in Mattawan, Michigan, provides discovery, safety evaluation, bioanalytical, and analytical services to the biopharmaceutical, medical device, animal health, and chemical industries. Scientific knowledge and experience, integrity, trust, teamwork, and dedication to strong and enduring Sponsor relationships are the defining attributes that characterize MPI Research as a high-performance, high-quality organization that is committed to bringing safer and more effective products to the world. Learn more about how the company can exceed your expectations at www.mpiresearch.com .
About ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc. ImmuneRegen BioSciences Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc./quotes/comstock/11k!irbs (IRBS 0.33,-0.02,-5.14%), is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on the research, development and licensing of Homspera(R) and its derivatives. Homspera is an adult stem cell active compound that in study results has been shown to regenerate and strengthen the immune system and enhance wound healing. Additional intended uses being developed include influenza as a stand-alone or combination therapy and as a vaccine adjuvant. To advance its mission, the Scottsdale, Arizona based company has forged numerous study partnerships with industry and academic leaders, including Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, HemoGenix, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute and Virion Systems. For more information, please visit www.immuneregen.com .
Statements about the Company's future expectations, including statements about the potential use and scientific results for the Company's drug candidates, science and technology, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These future events may not occur as and when expected, if at all, and, together with the Company's business, are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results as a result of a number of factors, including the uncertainties inherent in research and development collaborations, pre-clinical and clinical trials and product development programs (including, but not limited to the fact that future results or research and development efforts may prove less encouraging than current results or cause side effects not observed in current pre-clinical trials), the evaluation of potential opportunities, the level of corporate expenditures and monies available for further studies, capital market conditions, and others set forth in the Company's periodic report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2009 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There are no guarantees that any of the Company's proposed products will prove to be commercially successful. The Company undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements.
Contact:

press release
April 21, 2010, 8:04 a.m. EDT · Recommend · Post:
ImmuneRegen BioSciences(R) Initiates Strategic Collaboration With MPI Research to Accelerate Clinical Development of Lead Indications
SCOTTSDALE, AZ, Apr 21, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX)-- ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.(R), a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc./quotes/comstock/11k!irbs (IRBS 0.33,-0.02,-5.14%), entered into a strategic collaboration with MPI Research today. Under the agreement, MPI Research will develop and perform preclinical, FDA-required safety studies and analytical research services in support of ImmuneRegen's lead drug candidate, Homspera(R), which are expected to enable Phase 1 human clinical studies. Mutually agreeable financial incentives have been incorporated into the terms of this agreement.
"The signing of today's agreement with MPI Research allows us to begin our FDA-required safety studies immediately," said ImmuneRegen CEO Michael Wilhelm. "ImmuneRegen expects that the resulting studies will provide information necessary to support planned INDs for indications such as influenza, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and cancer. With this relationship, ImmuneRegen garners independent validation that the potential of our compound has significant value to industry. We feel our visibility to potential new partners will only increase as we achieve the significant milestones set forth by our development team. This is a pivotal time for the company and we believe this relationship confirms management's belief that our company is significantly undervalued."

Good riddance, imho.

MATTAWAN - An MPI Research official recently announced he will step down from his post at the end of the month.
Bill Harrison, executive vice- president and chief operating officer, has had overall responsibility for the Mattawan-based facility's daily operations.
Before joining MPI Research in 1993, Harrison served as director of regulatory affairs and operations at Pharmaco LSR (formerly Bio/dynamics).
Harrison is an active member and past-president of the Society of Quality Assurance and serves on the board of the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Foundation.
He holds a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and has more than 25 years experience in contract laboratories.
A press release from MPI said "Harrison will be sorely missed by the entire MPI Research family. He has been an integral factor in the success of our company, and, under his leadership as president and COO, we have exponentially grown."

MPI Research to brand itself as the 'responsive' contract research organization
By Alex Nixon | Kalamazoo Gazette
June 01, 2010, 2:46PM

Shawano Cleary | Special to the Kalamazoo GazetteMPI Research Inc. in Mattawan, Michigan.MATTAWAN — MPI Research announced Tuesday that it was launching a global brand campaign to be “Your Responsive CRO.”

The Mattawan-based CRO — or contract research organization — said in a press release that the campaign follows a year of internal and external research that shows "clear evidence of the company’s strengths and how these strengths fulfill industry values and expectations."

“The biotech and pharmaceutical industries have undergone substantial transformation over the past 18 months, and we have realigned our organization to better serve them," William U. Parfet, MPI Research's CEO and chairman, said in the release.

"Sponsors have always told us that the caring, flexible and solution-focused employees of MPI Research stand out in the industry," Parfet said. "Our new branding accentuates how these important attributes, coupled with our scientific experience and expertise, create significant value for our Sponsors as we assist them in moving their drugs and medical devices forward.”

Parfet last week told the Portage Rotary Club that the company's outlook was positive and that it was hiring new workers again.

MPI Research in April 2008 announced a $330 million expansion plan that included hiring 3,300 new workers in Mattawan and downtown Kalamazoo. Those plans were delayed last year by the recession.

MPI employs approximately 1,400 people in Southwest Michigan.

Abelson Taylor, a Chicago-based advertising agency, assisted MPI Research in developing its branding initiative, MPI Research said.

Abandon ship wrote:

Good luck to those who thought you were going to get a paycheck and an education at MPI. Its coming to an end, a very sad end. The worst part is that it didn't have to happen. With just a little courage, HE could have let those who were dragging the company into the ground go, but HE just couldn't. So, another notch and a company in ruins.
Cheers to you all. Good luck and God speed.

http://www.mpiresearch.com/

The Strength of MPI Research – Its People

The people of MPI Research are proud of their contributions in bringing safer, healthier products to the world. They realize that they are an integral part of a team, and each individual on that team adds important value to the achievement of its goals. Part of what makes MPI Research strong is its depth and breadth of human talent. With a spirit of open communication, the people of MPI Research are:

Quality-driven
Focused on excellence
Inquisitive
Hard-working
Committed to making sure that MPI Research is the very best in its industry
MPI Research prides itself in providing its employees with multiple opportunities for both personal and professional enrichment. MPI Research carries its focus on excellence to its compensation and benefits programs as well.

MPI Research is always looking for top performers to join us in providing the best preclinical research possible to biopharmaceutical, medical device, animal health, and chemical companies.

To be considered for employment at MPI Research, click here to apply online.

MPI Research is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Thank you for your interest in joining the team at MPI Research.

Current or former employees of MPI Research can post reviews at the following sites:

http://www.careerbliss.com/company-reviews/mp...

http://www.jobvent.com/

http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

Understanding the Financials

In a first cut at getting a grip on the research business's financial situation, Caledonia Group principal Harry Watson and his team of financial analysts found that IRDC had two additional problems that were compounding the typical problems of an insolvent company. These related strictly to the nature of the contract research business.

First, it is the kind of business that depends more than most on the confidence of customers. Animal safety evaluation testing of drugs and other compounds is simply without value unless the studies are completed and strict protocols are followed. Also, it is a businessin which customers pay largely up front, rather than on completion of the contract. This results in a very unusual relationship between cash flow and revenue, as the major expenses related to research contracts are largely concentrated at the end of the study.

This led to the second problem.

Cash flow in the contract research business is radically divorced from revenue earnings, the exact opposite of what one finds in virtually all other businesses. This is a business that sucks cash when it shrinks and gushes cash when it grows. There was a further complication. Research studies can last anywhere from a few days to a decade, and the relationship between cash flow and revenue is vastly different for studies of different lengths.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."-George Santayana, philosopher, poet.