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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Production resumes at troubled Abbott baby formula factory

An Abbott Laboratories manufacturing plant is shown in Sturgis, Mich., on Sept. 23, 2010. (Brandon Watson/Sturgis Journal via AP)
An Abbott Laboratories manufacturing plant is shown in Sturgis, Mich., on Sept. 23, 2010. (Brandon Watson/Sturgis Journal via AP)

Production of baby formula has resumed at the Abbott Nutrition factory in Michigan whose February shutdown over contamination contributed to a national shortage, a company spokesman said.

Damage from severe thunderstorms including flooding had forced the Sturgis plant to halt operations in mid-June just two weeks after restarting production with additional sanitizing and safety protocols.

Production of EleCare, a specialty formula for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems, was restored at Sturgis following a July 1 reboot, said Abbott spokesman John Koval.

“We are working to restart Similac production as soon as we can. We’ll provide more information when we have it,” he said via email.

Abbott recalled several leading brands of formula in February, including Similac. That squeezed supplies already been strained by supply chain disruptions and stockpiling during COVID-19 shutdowns.