Production at Abbott Laboratories’ troubled baby-formula plant in Sturgis, Mich., has resumed after a shutdown due to flooding.
The plant went back online about July 1, but Abbott did not announce the reopening. It had been closed for about three weeks after heavy rains resulted in floodwater damage.
The Sturgis plant is at the center of a shortage of baby formula that has plagued America for months. It had been shut down since February after several infants were sickened, with two dying, after consuming formula from that plant. Inspection revealed the presence of cronobacter bacteria in the plant, the same kind that sickened the babies --although a different genetic strain.
The plant had reopened in June, but had been operating for a little more than a week before flooding forced it to shut again. As before, it will concentrate on making EleCare, a formula for babies with special digestive needs, and will being production of more mainstream Similac online as soon as possible, the company says.
