Hurricane Pauses IV Production At Baxter's North Carolina Facility

DEERFIELD, IL — Baxter International, a Deerfield-based health care company, was forced to close one of its facilities that produces IVs and medical supplies following last week's Hurricane Helene. Production was halted at the North Carolina location (North Cove), which has led to concerns over the possibility of a national shortage of the products made at the location.

"We will spare no resource — human or financial — to restart operations and help ensure patients and providers have the products they need," Baxter International CEO Joe Almeida said in a statement on the company's website.

Baxter said the manufacturing site "was significantly impacted by the rain and storm surge from Hurricane Helene, which was unprecedented in Western North Carolina and resulted in water flooding the facility."

Baxter International is headquartered at 1 Baxter Parkway in Deerfield.

The company said it has set a goal of restarting production at the North Cove facility in phases, hoping to return to full force by the end of the year. Currently, Baxter has increased allocation levels of its highest demand IV fluids for direct customers from 40 percent to 60 percent, and for distributors from 10 percent to 60 percent, effective Wednesday.

"Due to the vulnerable patient population they serve, allocations for IV solutions and nutrition products for designated children’s hospitals were increased to 100 percent," Baxter said.