Baxter cuts 90 jobs from IV solutions site once devastated by Hurricane Helene
A facility run by Baxter near Asheville, North Carolina cut 90 employees from its roster, representing 3% of the workforce at the IV solution manufacturing plant—the same one damaged and left inoperable after it was hit by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
That incident caused a nationwide shortage of saline solutions that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not declare resolved until August 2025.
After flood waters wiped out a bridge to the plant and left most of the inside contaminated with water and mud, it wasn’t until February 2025 that manufacturing lines became fully operational once again.
The site, located in North Cove, North Carolina, produced roughly 60% of the IV bags used in the U.S., and Baxter’s competitors were struggling to meet the nation’s demands for saline solutions.
In response, former President Joe Biden invoked the wartime powers provision of the Defense Production Act to boost domestic output. Meanwhile, Baxter was busy importing IV solutions from sites in Canada and overseas in an attempt to ease the burden on the supply chain.
During that time, there was a shift in the markets that left the company holding a smaller share. Last month during an investor conference, Baxter CFO Joel Grade said demand for IV fluids is still down 10% to 15% since Helene, blamed in part on hospitals and supply houses having stockpiled during the previous year of uncertainty.
He added that Baxter’s forecast didn’t expect normal use habits to resume until the third quarter of 2026.
“Our teams are actively, and with urgency, working with our customers to continue to help improve their utilization because this is not an issue of product availability from our perspective,” Grade told investors.
Baxter confirms long-term commitment to rebuilt plant
The 90 employees at the North Cove site have already been laid off, with jobs ending in January. It’s not clear if they’ll be rehired once normal output resumes, but the company reiterated its commitment to keeping operations in North Carolina.
In a statement to Fox Carolina, a spokesperson said Baxter “regularly assesses our manufacturing network to ensure we can continue to reliably serve patients while operating responsibly. These reviews help us align production with demand and support long‑term stability."
“Baxter remains committed to the [North Cove] site and to the employees who work there,” they added. “After careful consideration, we reduced approximately 90 roles, or 3 percent of our workforce, at the North Cove site. We are grateful for our colleagues’ contributions and are providing transition support and benefits to those affected.”
Baxter’s stock has seen a precipitous drop in price over the last year, falling nearly 40%. It currently stands at $18.71 per share, down 4% year to date.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.