Employees 

As of December 31, 2011, our company had 40,676 employees, which represents a minimal change compared to 2010 (40,562 employees). Merck was represented in 67 countries by 228 companies and had 65 production sites located in 24 countries.

In several countries, there were significant changes in the number of employees. In Germany, the workforce increased by 560 employees. This was mainly attributable to both the acquisition of Biotest AG’s microbiology business, as well as to chemicals production, where we increased the number of permanent employees and reduced the share of temporary workers. In China, the number of employees rose by 167, which is primarily due to the acquisition of Beijing Skywing Technology Co., Ltd. and to the expansion of the Merck Serono operations there. In Argentina, the workforce decreased by 256. This was partly attributable to the transfer of CardioMetabolic Care and General Medicine commercial activities to the Argentinean company Laboratorio Elea SACIFyA in Buenos Aires; it was also a result of the divestment of the Crop BioScience business, which was based in Argentina and employed the majority of the employees there.

A total of 523 young people were enrolled in vocational training programs in 23 different occupations at the Darmstadt site, the largest of the Merck Group.

Number of employees as of December 31, 2011/percentage of total workforce