The Abbott Laboratories plant in Michigan, which was at the center of the nation’s infant formula crisis, is back in production. The troubled plant was shut down in February due to contamination and again in June after flooding from a severe storm. Production of EleCare, a specialty formula for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems, has been restored in Sturgis after a July 1 restart. “We are working to restart production of Similac as soon as possible. We will provide more information when we have it,” Abbott spokesman John Koval said via email. BABY FORMULA PRODUCTION STOPPED AT ABBOTT’S MICHIGAN FACTORY DUE TO FLOODING AFTER SEVERE STORMS Abbott recalled several top brands of formula in February, including Similac. This compressed supplies that had already been strained by supply disruptions during the COVID-19 shutdown. FILE PHOTO: The Abbott Laboratories facility where dozens of recalled types of powdered infant formula were made that led to a production shutdown at the site in Sturgis, Michigan, May 20, 2022. REUTERS/Eric Cox/File Photo (REUTERS/Eric Cox/File Photo / Reuters photos) The plant was shut down in February after the Food and Drug Administration began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the babies died. ABBOTT WILL REOPEN MICHIGAN FACILITY ON JUNE 4. The closure of the Sturgis facility exacerbated an industry-wide infant milk shortage. For several months, parents and carers scrambled as the shelves became increasingly barren. Meanwhile, retailers have been forced to place purchase limits on the product to try to limit inventories. Shelves usually stocked with baby formula are mostly empty at a store in San Antonio, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Eric Gay / AP Newsroom) The Michigan plant returned to specialty formulation production on June 4, only to shut down again on June 16 when a storm caused flooding at the facility. ABBOTT’S MICHIGAN BABY FORMULA FACILITY REOPENS: HOW LONG BEFORE PARENTS SEE MORE SUPPLY? President Biden’s administration has since relaxed import rules for foreign manufacturers, moved formula from Europe and invoked federal emergency rules to prioritize U.S. production. Yury Navas, 29, of Laurel, Md., kisses her two-month-old baby Jose Ismael Gálvez, at Superbest International Market in Laurel, Md., Monday, May 23, 2022, while shopping for formula. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin/AP Newsroom) Ticker Security Last Change Change %ABT ABBOTT LABORATORIES 109.26 -0.23 -0.21% Abbott is one of only four companies that make about 90% of US formula. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
