Covidien Cuts 200 Jobs, to Shutter Production Plant in New York

Covidien's recent decision to close a local plant highlights challenges manufacturers face today, officials said. The medical device maker on Friday announced plans to shutter its Route 40 facility in a year to 18 months and move production work to a plant in Mexico and another that is under construction in Costa Rica. With 200 local workers, Covidien is the largest employer in Argyle and one of the 10 largest in Washington County. Company spokeswoman Rachel Bloom-Baglin said the closure is part of a bigger, global restructuring that began in 2008 and targets other plants in the U.S. and abroad.