KENILWORTH, NJ — A few years ago, Merck, located in Kenilworth, announced it would no longer utilize the manufacturing unit at the Kenilworth campus that had once belonged to Schering-Plough. Manufacturing at the site was halted after the two companies merged. The only remnants of the former production facility left standing were two warehouses, which have recently been demolished. But their removal does not mean that Merck is leaving town. According to Kenilworth Mayor Tony DeLuca, Merck has no intentions of leaving.
Merck is a significant taxpayer to the town, and residents can rest assured that the headquarters has no intention of relocating, said the mayor The two warehouse buildings were empty and needed to be removed. If anything, DeLuca sees this as a commitment to the town of Kenilworth.
“Merck wouldn’t have bothered to get rid of these buildings unless they were committed to the town of Kenilworth,” said DeLuca. “Merck headquarters considers Kenilworth its home.”
Merck’s global headquarters was originally located in Rahway before moving to Whitehouse Station in 1992. The decision to move its headquarters from Whitehouse Station to Kenilworth was due to the ability to achieve greater cost savings and operational synergies.
The headquarters was originally scheduled to move to the company’s 88-acre campus in Summit. Instead, it was decided that it would relocate to the 100-acre Kenilworth campus.
“The town of Kenilworth was very fortunate that Merck chose this location for its global headquarters,” the mayor said. “We consider them a very good neighbor, and this is an excellent neighborhood for them as well.”